What My Dad-Dad Taught Me...

Growing up on a horse farm was not always a cherished way of life like it is today. In fact- I can remember coming home from friends’ homes and asking my parents, “Why can’t we live in a neighborhood like *Ashley or *Josh?”  I wanted the cul-de-sac, I wanted the back-to-back yard whiffle ball games that lasted into the evening, I wanted the bike rides with friends. But most of all, I wanted the normalcy. The normalcy that I saw behind the lifestyle of those cookie cutter houses that bred socialites starting at the age of six...

 

But to my dismay (at the time), My brother and I grew up on a hill that overlooked fields of alfalfa and grazing horses. Neighbors were never seen conversing in the driveway nor were there ever group barbecues that people stopped by for a quick hello.

 But as time went on and I look back at this life style I grew up in, I can’t help but be ever so grateful for never reaching “normalcy” and aging with a developed desire to stand out. And although I never met the man, except for a month before his passing as he held me as a bundle of wrinkled skin and baby coo’s, I have so much thank my great granddad for all he has contributed to my life.

My Dad-Dad, Charles Keller II, was an extraordinary man. Even twenty-two years later, his presence in each and every one of the Kellers' lives is strong and humbling. You see, my Dad-Dad was a dreamer: A motivated individual that had a to-do list only fathomable by the very elite visionaries. A young boy, he dreamed of serving his country, playing baseball, living on a farm, moving to exciting cities and meeting incredible people.

Charlie went to the University of Maryland after growing up in a small rural town about an hour outside of Baltimore. Studying agricultural economics, he also found the love of his life- soon to be his wife- and played baseball for the university. In time, he found himself playing minor-league baseball for the Newark Bears until he made his way up to New York for his rookie season in 1939 for the Yankees. 

Interchanging his time between the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers from1939-1952, my Dad-Dad played out his passion and worked towards his dream. He left the diamond in 1944 and was gone much of 1945 as he took this time to serve his country in the Merchant Marines during World War II.

Before and after his military leave, Dad-Dad achieved a position in multiple World Series and accumulated an impressive batting average. Charlie (or King Kong Keller, as his teammates called him based on his massive power swing… or gorilla-like eye-brows) stayed busy bettering himself and his aspirations. 

Playing with headliners like Joe DiMaggio and Tommy Henrich, Dad-Dad met fascinating people. He learned of stories that lead to greater perspective. His travels and correspondences helped him gain an abundance of knowledge and understanding, some of which has been passed along to me through the generations that have raised me.

After back issues, my great-grandfather retired from baseball and made his way back home to Maryland. But his to-do list wasn’t yet complete. Now with a family and support from friends, Dad-Dad began what was soon to become his pride and joy. A standard bred horse farm on the outskirts of Frederick that he right-fully named, “Yankeeland.” It is here that he built a barn upon a dream that grew into a business. But more importantly, it spawned from a simple idea and a wild passion that evolved into a reality. 

 This is where he watched his family grow and learn the true value of hard work. My grandfather worked his bare hands here, my father still works this land, and I am blessed to still have the opportunity to plant my memories in the soil my great-granddad had sewn for this family.

I wished to share this with you for the soul purpose to reflect. It is possible to achieve all you set your mind to. My Dad-Dad taught me a lot: The power of persistence and the importance of dreaming, no matter how big these dreams may grow to be. He taught me that all success stems from sincere love and devotion for the people that enter our life to support even our craziest ambitions. He taught me that not one thing can be expected or given to us unless we are willing to risk failure and stretch our abilities to reach success. 

I can’t remember what age I was when I realized that I liked growing up where I did; that time period in which I knew that I never really wanted normalcy. Because had I grown up in normalcy, I would never have truly understood exactly what my Dad-Dad built our home upon- a passion for family, a passion for achieving… a passion for dreaming.