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.
