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Hammer’s All-Stars continues Henry’s Legacy

Keeping the legacy alive!

The legacy of Rodney Henry “The Hammer” continues to grow each year.

Henry, who was known by many as one of MIfflin County’s finest and most dedicated athletes and later a beloved coach who dedicated his life to the local sports scene and the athletes he coached.

One of his biggest athletic highlights was playing in a Babe Ruth State Championship.

Ironically later in life, Henry had the thrill of coaching his son Rodney Henry III through one as well.

When Henry,Jr. was diagnosed with cancer, friends and family gathered and rallied around him, helping raise funds for the family for his bills through different avenues, highlighted by a benefit softball tournament.

Despite losing his battle with the disease, the Non-Profit group who helped him through continued together and formed Hammer’s All-Stars which sets their sights on continuing on “The Hammer’s” devotion and dedication to the local youth and sports organization’s.

“It basically started from Rod’s love of sports when he was alive. It was everything to him. Every time he coached it was ‘his boys’. It wasn’t the kids, it wasn’t the team..it was his boys,” said brother Ken Henry. “One struggle I’ve always seen with him was lack of funds. It became where fundraising was more of a nuisance. I believe on teaching kids responsibility and working for what they want but at the same time, they worked all year to get where they are at so it’s nice to be able to help them out. Rod would have loved it.”

Thursday, the group consisting of Rod’s children and family friends presented a check to the Babe Ruth 13- and 15-year old Babe Ruth All-Star coaches, Bill Corbin and Denny Yetter that the group made from its now third annual softball tournament. The proceeds will go for the Babe Ruth All-Star program.

“Each year we just try to build these funds and find some local youth organizations and give them some money,” added Ken Henry. “To kind of help them out and make things easier for them.”

The group is also making plans to make a donation to the Derry Decatur Cyclones football team in the fall.

Highlighting the group’s venture is their Benefit Softball Tournament which next season will be its fourth.

“We have an annual Softball tournament held at Kish Park. This past year we had 12 teams. We do Tee Shirts every year. We sell Tee Shirts, raffle baskets and ask for donations from local businesses ,” said Henry. “We would like to continue each year and grow a little more each year. We also try to include Danon (Beaston) in with it. He was family and he was the type of kid Rod would love to coach. He was a kid that was willing to learn and was everything Rod was looking for.”

If anyone would want to make a donation, enter a team into their tournament or volunteer to help with the group contact mrsbonson222@gmail.com.

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