Saying Goodbye to a Legend!
On September 14, my 94-year-old father Bob Motley, who I liked to call "my living legend of a father" passed into the eternal realm of the universe.
As many of you know, my father lived quite a life! He was a decorated World War II hero (one of the first Black Marines known as the Montford Point Marines), and was also the last living umpire from the historic Negro Baseball Leagues.
But more than those things, he was a gentlemen, a mentor, a friend, a coach, a husband, a father, a grandfather, an uncle - and so many other things....but for me he was always just simply "daddy"!
In this entry I could write a novel about the man, but I'm choosing one of my all-time favorite stories about him to share with you because I think it captures his essence, humor and playfulness - traits which I treasure.
These next 3 paragraphs come from my Introduction of my father's memoir "Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants, and Stars: True Tales of Breaking Barriers, Umpiring Baseball Legends, and Wild Adventures in the Negro Leagues" which I had the honor to co-author with him in 2007. He always bragged to people saying, "my son Byron wrote this book about me"! I would in turn reply, "yeah but YOU lived the life!" To him however, his living such a remarkable life always took a back seat to the fact that I had chronicled his life in book form. He was kind of in awe of it. "Boy, how do you remember all that stuff about me", he'd often ask! That was his humble nature.
From the book Introduction:
To give you an insight
into my father’s personality, I would say that he is a stranger to no one, a
trait both my sister and I were blessed to inherit. He simply loves people. No
one is safe from his fun-loving razzing and playful banter. His crowning
achievement as king of the capers took place in London, England, at a black-tie
affair after I performed in a concert for the late H.R.H. Princess Margaret in
1985. Before arriving at the event, which included an extremely elegant dinner for
20 people, I gave my parents step-by-step instructions on the proper protocol
for meeting and greeting royalty. “Do not speak until spoken to. Do not extend
a hand to shake unless that hand is first extended to you. And slightly bow
upon being introduced.” I wasn’t at all concerned about my mother, as she
inherently knew the appropriate etiquette. My father on the other hand… well
let’s just say, I know my father all too well.
After introducing my
parents to the princess I was relieved that everything had gone off without a
hitch. My mother was polite and gracious, and my father was charming and
gentlemanly. After a few minutes of small talk, my mother and I—and I assumed
my father—followed our escort to our appointed seat. Just as my mother and I
were preparing to sit, I heard the sounds of raucous laughter from a voice that
sounded all too familiar. My mother and I looked at each other and cringed,
wondering, Oh Lord, what has he done now? I turned around and there he was,
hugging, giggling, and he-he-ing it up with not only the princess, but also her
three ladies in waiting as well! My mother gasped! I was mortified! Finally,
after what seemed like two weeks, he sauntered over to the table all aglow,
basking in the glory of having the undivided attention of a real monarch! He
had the widest smile I’ve ever seen on his face.
Just as I was about to
reprimand him on breaking the cardinal rules of royal custom, he piped in,
“Before you even start, she grabbed and hugged me first!” I doubted his
assertion until Princess Margaret began to direct the bulk of her conversation
throughout the seven-course meal directly toward my father. Bob Motley had
charmed a princess! My mother and I were flabbergasted. On what was to be my
big night, I was being upstaged, and my mother was trumped by the sister of the
queen of England! We have laughed about the evening many times, and it rates as
one of our favorite family moments. And needless to say, my mother and I still
kid him about that night.
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| Photo circa 2007 from "Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars...." |
YES that was my daddy Bob Motley! Always engaging. Always charming. Always present.
So many honors have poured in since his passing, including one that really moves me. This weekend, all of the major league umpires are wearing a patch on their uniforms with my father's initials. He would simply be flabbergasted by this! The Los Angeles Dodgers created a video tribute from his recent visit to LA and this is a remarkable keepsake that my family and I will always treasure. The Kansas City Royals whom my father was a devoted fan since inception and worked for many years selling season tickets, also honored him with a moment of silence on the evening of his home-going service at Kauffman stadium What a beautiful tribute of respect! What a send off!
Daddy you will be missed - but I know that beautiful memories, life lessons taught, and your indelible spirit will sustain and carry me and our family through this period and beyond!
As you so often loved to say, "we are well blessed"! And that we are! I love you!
And so it is.......
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| My father's last photograph. Taken by celebrity photographer Randall Slavin in Los Angeles one month ago. On the way to the airport we stopped by Randall's studio because he wanted to capture my dad for Negro Baseball League photographic project he is doing. I almost said no.....very happy I said Yes! ps. If you click nothing else on this blog link do NOT miss this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GyBF8J7gq8&app=desktop
More from and about me at: www.byronmotleyphotography.com & www.byronmotley.com
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Comments
David G
I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for sharing his extraordinary life and soul with us. My husband had a habit of buying exceptional books with some connection to sports for his father (a pioneering sportswriter), who passed away earlier this year at 92. Your book would have surely been the gift this Christmas. I am certain that they are swapping stories in the great beyond. He lives through your spirit.
Best wishes,
Belinda T.