At every Loyalsock High School athletic and even Loyalsock Little League game, there is always one unmistakable and enthusiastic person present at all of them — that is Pedie McDonald. No Loyalsock game would be complete without him being there. Pedie is a very special part of such contests.

Pedie is the son of the late Peyton McDonald and his wife, Peachey. Pedie is mentally and physically challenged, but neither of these dampens his spirit or his enthusiasm.

Peachey said Pedie was involved in Hope Enterprises’ summer programs and then entered the Blast Intermediate Unit’s 17 educational program and went to school until he was 21. He works every day at Hope Enterprises from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., just as an average workingman would. A bus from River Valley Transit picks him up at 7:30 each morning and gets him home at about 4 p.m.

“His dad loved baseball and basketball, and when our other son, Todd was old enough for Little League, Peyton coached a minor league team, ‘Faxon Bowling,’ in the Loyalsock Little League and Pedie was, of course, included as well,” Peachey told Webb Weekly. “From that point on, Pedie fell in love with Little League baseball. He would always hang out, went to all the games, and encouraged all the kids on all the teams while they played. He never left the league, which is only a few blocks from our house.”

She said that Pedie’s friendships with these Little Leaguers carried over when many of them, later on, would play on the various Loyalsock High School athletic teams. So, as a result, he knew them as youngsters, and they knew him.

Perhaps no one has encouraged and made Pedie more a part of Loyalsock’s athletic scene than Loyalsock’s legendary basketball coach, Ron ‘C.I.’ Insinger.

“Coach Insinger has treated Pedie with such dignity and affection,” Peachey said. “And I think the players see this, for C.I. has been his good friend for more than 40 years. He made Pedie ‘team manager,’ but I think he is actually more a water boy, which is just fine with him. I think that his involvement with C.I. and the basketball team has been the key to Pedie’s association with Loyalsock athletics.”

Loyalsock’s basketball opponents are very familiar with his attempts to rattle their players when they are attempting to make foul shots. He hurls such taunts as “Never make it; you’ll never make it,” and “Your shoe’s untied.”

“One time, not long ago, an athletic director from one of Loyalsock’s opponents complained strenuously about Pedie’s attempt at distraction,” Peachey said. “Well, the Loyalsock folks set him straight about that, and an apology ensued from them.”

Pedie also has a strong tie to the Loyalsock football team that reaches back to Ken Robbins’ tenure as football coach. He always had a coveted place on the team bus on the way to road football games.

Current Loyalsock football coach, Justin Van Fleet, was informed by Pedie that he, Pedie, was part of the Loyalsock football package and sure enough — he is. Like the basketball team, he holds an honored spot and role with the football team.

Van Fleet’s father, Duane, takes Pedie home from all the games in his ‘big blue truck.’ Additionally, several Loyalsock basketball players such as Tommy Baggett and Mitchell Klingerman would take him back from basketball games during their senior years.

“Pedie is an intense competitor. He can’t participate, but he is in every game with his whole heart and soul,” Peachey declared.

He does not confine his enthusiasm just to Loyalsock. He is an avid spectator every year at the Little League World Series, where he has ‘friends in high places.’

“Steve Keener (CEO of Little League) always makes sure Pedie has a seat in the reserved seating areas at Lamade and Volunteer stadiums, where all Little League’s VIP’s sit,” Peachey said. “He has even gotten on a first name basis with Major League Baseball Commissioner, Rob Manfred.”

Peachey was asked what it was like to be out and about with Pedie.

“It is just fun to be out and about with Pedie. There are countless ‘hi Pedies’ wherever you go. His forever-young friends now have kids of their own, so the warmth continues. These encounters are thrilling to me and make me so proud of him.”

She was asked about what summed up Pedie, and the secret of his success is very simple. She answered, “He is convinced that everyone is glad to see him, and he treats everyone with respect. That is how he approaches life.”

Pedie has a milestone birthday on December 9 when he turns 60 years young.

In these divisive and contentious times, the world could use more Pedie McDonalds.