Brad Haslam (left), showing the softer side of his personality few opposing hitters saw back in his high school days.
Brad Haslam has great hands.
In the early ’90s, they helped him to be one of the most dominating baseball hurlers to ever pull on a Coupeville High School jersey. Now, after carrying him through years of construction work, they are taking him on a new journey, as he studies to be a chiropractor.
A three-sport star (football, basketball, baseball) who made batters quake in their cleats as a four-time All-League pitcher, the 1992 Wolf grad lives in Georgia these days with wife Tammie (10 years of marriage and a 22-year old step-daughter) and is attending Life University. After taking college classes off and on over the past 20 years, he is going full-bore these days and should graduate next summer.
“I met a chiropractor in Eastern Washington and saw what he could do for me and my wife, and it triggered something,” Haslam said. “My body was giving out (from the construction) and I needed a new career path.
“It will give me a chance to help people and leave them smiling when you see them going,” he added.
At one time, Haslam’s baseball-throwing arm was a deadly weapon, something few people wanted to see coming full-tilt at them. He controlled the mound like few others, putting a quiver in opposing batter’s strides with one baleful glare from the mound.
Actually, Haslam was having an excellent time on the mound. He just hid it extremely well under his game face.
“That was just a great time; I looked forward to it every day,” Haslam said. “We put together a pretty good squad together back then.
“Guys like Matt Cross played their hearts out and never got the credit they deserved,” he added. “I remember one game, we were in extra innings, two outs, best pitcher in the conference and Cross rips a single to keep us alive. Playing with guys like him made it great.”
Of course, it’s worth noting Haslam then stepped to the plate and slammed a game-winning home run.
But, as he heads into his older years (“I don’t like being 39. I don’t feel like I’m any older, but sometimes I do FEEL older.”) it’s his teammates contributions he treasures. The guys he played year-round with for four years.
He is quick to hand out praise of former football teammates such as Jason McFadyen (“He would kill you with his passes.”), Todd Brown (“I prided myself on blocking really well for Todd, laying guys out and watching him blow through the hole.”) and Frank Marti (“I would run side by side down the field with him, step back and watch him pummel someone and say, ‘oh, that had to hurt’.”)
And, while he enjoyed playing for all of his coaches, one in particular stands out. Ron Bagby was his football and basketball coach and more to Haslam, who babysat his mentor’s kids, who all went on to be star Wolf athletes themselves.
“He was always there for me on a personal level, always supportive,” Haslam said.
“In seventh grade I didn’t have any basketball shoes,” he added. “That was the year the first Michael Jordans came out and Bagby had bought a pair and he was so proud of them. He let me wear them the whole season, even though I wasn’t on his team.”
Haslam’s meteoric sports career didn’t quite end up where it might have, unfortunately. He had two strong college seasons at Skagit Valley, and then, just as he was receiving recruiting calls from Division 1 schools, something popped.
“I was playing summer league ball and throwing harder than ever and something went in my arm,” Haslam said. “I was on the phone with Washington State and told them and then, click, static … that was kind of it.”
So he found a new path, one that has paid off nicely. He may not have ever strode to the mound at Yankee Stadium, but he has achieved happiness in life and he has his memories.
While he says he’s unsure how his exploits will be remembered (“That’s up to you guys. I had fun, I know that.”) he will always hold dear a time when Prairie Center and the Tyee hung up banners to cheer on his playoff-bound football squad.
“That’s what you want to see in a small town,” Haslam said. “Give the kids some pride and support. They did it for us and they can do it again!”
