SALEM, Va. – The 28th annual Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony was on tap Thursday evening. The 2019 inductees include current Radford head coach Joe Raccuia, former Virginia Tech player and assistant coach Jay Phillips, current Franklin County head baseball coach Barry Shelton, and longtime sports official Ernie Bradd. It's a star-studded group that was immortalized in Salem.
"This thing is more of a reflection on the university and baseball program. Since we took over in 2007 they've provided us with just these awesome things. We're kind of expected to be in at this point," Raccuia said.
"It kind of pays you for all the years that I put in working. I worked almost close to 40 years of mostly high school sports and some college. It was the greatest time of my life," Bradd said.
"I don't know that there's a better vehicle than baseball to be a servant to your community and especially as a coach now to the kids of our community specifically Franklin County. I'm very blessed to be able to go to work every day and teach and coach and give back the game is giving me for more than I've given it," Shelton said.
The guest speaker was former major league pitcher Cla Meredith from Richmond, and Mike Deneka from Cave Spring little league receives the community service award or his tireless work.