Ken was a senior quality control engineer at Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts where he worked for 17 years. A passenger on the ill-fated American Airlines Flight 11, he was taken from us at the age of 46 by the madness that was 9/11/01.
I remember him as a solid family man, a fine athlete, and first-rate human being. Active in Methuen youth sports, serving as a board member, basketball referee, and his own children's number one fan, he once rejected a promotion because it would curtail his ability to leave the office in time to catch his children's games. A Naval Academy graduate, he was the only cadet ever elected president of his class all four years. Now there's an eighteen word sentence that speaks volumes.
In the 1970's this part of Massachusetts was a hot-bed for fast-pitch softball. I was the area's umpire-in-chief and Ken was always the shortstop on one of the top tournament teams. Not a flashy player, Ken was rock-steady. You knew that if there was a ground ball to short, there was going to be an out. If he was at bat and his team needed a hit, sacrifice bunt, or a batted ball to the right side to advance a runner, it was a "done deal." But what I remember clearest is that, in the volatile atmosphere that was tournament fast-pitch softball, Ken was the first one to step in to calm everyone down when it appeared there might be a bench-clearing brawl. He was competitive, but kept it in perspective. He is exactly the kind of player we hope to attract to our senior sports circuit named in his honor.
Occasionally Ken would play a little hoop with us "old bucks" in our pick-up league on Thursday night (not too often though...he was usually out watching his kids play or refereeing or attending a sports meeting). Once, in a full-court game he and I were matched up as opponents. He was a little younger than I and didn't have the three knee surgeries that I had. Hey, no excuses... he was beating me soundly. The thing is...he practically apologized each time after he breezed by me to score another lay-up. He liked and respected me. He appreciated the baseball program and coaching philosophy that I employed when his son played varsity ball for me at Methuen High School. He actually felt badly that he was blowing by me to the hoop...but he wouldn't stop...and I wouldn't have it any other way. Again, that's the kind of player we are looking for in the Ken Waldie Senior Sports Circuit - competitive but emotions in check, the competition in perspective. Our mission is to provide quality athletic programs for those who want to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle into their senior years. We'll also keep our friend Ken Waldie's name alive in the news, on our team shirts, and in our hearts.
