Legendary Brian Fleury was An Inspiration to Everyone
Richard
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Brian Fleury left this life the way he lived it. With honor, courage and
strength.
Friday morning, he died of Hodgkins lymphoma, the cancer that had been
ripping him off for 20 years. The disease finally took him, but it could not
wipe him from our memory. That would be impossible.
Fleury fought the good fight for two decades. No one lived on the emotional
roller-coaster he did, except his family. We have no idea what the physical
or mental struggles were like.
But because he chose to battle on, we are all richer.
Brian Fleury once told me a few years ago that he chose to continue coaching
Green Wave baseball because there was no better way to show athletes about
dedication and discipline than to fight through his pain and work through
it. And he was right.
He was referring only to baseball when he said it, but he might as well have
been talking about living an everyday life. Because when the game was over,
everyone else went home to normalcy. Brian's day-by-day, moment-by-moment
grind often continued. What person was more dedicated to living than Brian
Fleury?
Kids went to Delbarton to play for him. The word got out that he was a great
guy, and a great guy to play for. Baseball season never ended with anyone
disappointed in Fleury's work.
One time, the Green Wave beat a team that had twice the talent but half the
heart. While the other team loafed through much of seven innings, Delbarton
players ran out every batted ball, hustled to every uncatchable foul popup,
and did all of the little things. Why? Not just because the Green Wave
needed to do that to win any game, but because of what Fleury often told
them.
"You're not good enough not to," is the way he put it.
That is what he told many of his teams. Fleury himself was one of the best
players Morris County has ever seen, but he never spoke down to his players.
He told them to go all-out because if they hadn't, they were cheating
themselves and their teammates, especially the ones who were going the extra
mile.
Watching what their own coach was going through, the entire roster got the
point: If Coach Fleury could do what he does in his condition, we can do it
with a healthy body. That was the message Fleury was trying to send, and he
was very successful. When most of us would have called out sick, Fleury was
Cal Ripken, reporting for duty every day.
Fleury appreciated whatever talent a player of his brought to the diamond,
from the ultra-talented players on down.
He enjoyed watching a five-tool star such as Wes Swackhamer or D.J.
Anderson, but loved watching an infielder like Greg Sherry develop in a new
position like catching. Fleury enjoyed watching young players grow daily.
And when their growth on the high school level was finished when they were
seniors, he did whatever he could to get a Delbarton baseball player noticed
by a college program.
He also loved spending time with his players. One recent spring training
trip in Florida, Fleury was forced to abstain from solid food. He didn't
moan or gripe. He just went with the doctor's orders and enjoyed his time
with his team.
Another time, he was forbidden from shaking hands with anyone because of the
possibly of catching germs that would have been fatal. He had to live in a
germ-free tent for a time at home and wasn't allowed to have contact with
anyone. When you have a beautiful young son like six-year-old Timmy Fleury,
is there anything more cruel?
Conversations with him were often highly enlightening. He had a real eye for
the game and a unique perspective. Talking to him was usually humbling.
Sometimes, it could be a bit intimidating. He didn't have a forceful
personality. He spoke in a soft tone. So why would it be difficult talking
to him? I often wondered, is he feeling okay? Will I be bothering him? But
he was always -- always -- gracious.
Fleury taught a little something to everyone.
Legendary Morristown baseball coach Harry Shatel freely admits it: Brian
Fleury was his idol. What person could say that about someone who was about
25 years younger?
Bruce Shatel, Harry's son and Fleury's longtime assistant at Delbarton, said
Fleury taught him how to live with losses. Not to like losing, but how to
accept defeat and move on to the next game.
His players mourned his passing Friday at Delbarton's baseball diamond. When
his passing was imminent Thursday night, some were drawn to the field. Where
else would you expect them to gather?
When they met, their conversation was in hushed tones, but the fond memories
of their departed coach rose to the surface. There was talk of the big wins,
the lessons learned, the Florida spring trainings.
Morris County coaches in all sports held him in reverence, even those who
didn't know him too well. They knew what he stood for from afar. And for
those who did know him, Fleury's passing was even more tragic, his loss more
deeply felt.
Brian Fleury taught us all something in his 39 years. And he will continue
to do so.
E-mail Joe Hofmann at jhof...@gannett.com
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