About Bill "Bax" Baxter.
Going Above and Beyond Blog.
My Alma Mater.
"My name is Bill "Bax" Baxter (Class of 1974). I went to four different High Schools as my family moved around a lot when I was young. But when I was asked to list my high school on a job application, the one I listed was Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland (Now James A. Coles High School). Wootton became my sole alma mater. The couple of years I was there turned out to be a major life changing experience for me as my life took a major change for the better and has been going uphill ever since. I served as a Team Manager of Varsity Football, Varsity Wrestling and the Tack Squad and lettered in all three sports. I also received Music Letters for the High School Band and the High School Choir. I had to move in the middle of my Senior Year at Thomas S. Wootton High School and I finished out the year at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. As I could not bare the thought of receiving a diploma at any school but Wootton, when I finished up the year at Marina, I flew back to Dulles so I could go through the the commencement ceremony at TSW. The only drawback was my family missed my graduation. I am officially a graduate of Thomas S. Wootton High, Class of 1974. I was voted the Most Improved Student in the Class of 1974. Since I graduated from High School, there have been other milestones and successes in my life. I feel that none of those would have been possible if it hadn't been for my experiences as a Student at Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School"
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Quoted from my opening remarks on my Facebook Page=="Success Stories."
ALMOST BOUGHT THE FARM:
A lot of you probably heard about my Massive Pulmonary Embolism I had last summer. I have told this story, and this is not the story I am sharing here, but there was a near miss that happened to me while I was a student at Thomas S. Wootton High School. It was Late Spring towards the end of my Junior Year. I was at Track Practice serving as the Manager for the Track Team. I snuck away for a brief time to check out the Varsity Baseball Game going on at what is now McCracken Field. When I got to the Baseball Field, Buddy McCracken was up to bat. From what I heard he was sensational at Shortstop, but he had only gotten one hit at the plate all season. Although the one hit he did get, he really crushed the ball. I watch him as he was up to bat, and I wanted to see him get another hit. If I remember right, he did get on base, but not from a single. I can't remember exactly if it was a walk, error, or fielder's choice.
After McCracken's at bat, I started back down the hill to get back to track practice. All of a sudden, I heard shouting from the Baseball spectators as they yelled "Baxter! Baxter!" I wondered if a baseball was heading right for me. Sure enough, a ball that had been fouled back clear to the bottom of the hill came whistling over my right shoulder missing my head and landed right in front of me. I wonder if the Varsity Baseball Players and Coaches even remember that incident as they were all busy trying to win a Baseball Game. I picked up the ball and threw it all the way back up the hill, and there was an applause.
I day or so later, while I was in Concert Choir Class, Gary Cissel (R.I.P.), a tenor in the choir said: "Hey Baxter, I saw you almost get hit with a baseball." I shrugged it off. Then Gary said: "Baxter, that can hurt you." Gary could be a witty individual, but he was right. A fellow Toastmaster and Self Advocate I know here in Colorado was hit in the head by a fly ball, and he has been developmentally disabled ever since. I was already developmentally disabled from birth, and there is no telling what would have happen had that baseball not missed me 44 years ago. I do know, it wasn't my time then, and it wasn't my time a year ago last summer. Right now I am happy, and still enjoying life.