Being a trailblazer is never an easy thing. Still, Lee Whittington Sr. handled the task of being a pioneer for the Williamsport Area High School baseball team during the mid-1980s, when he became the first African American to play on that team.

He handled the task with class, dignity, and good humor and became a beloved and respected teammate in the process.

According to his wife, Kim, his coaches and teammates were supportive of him, and he set a good example for them. He played the positions of pitcher and centerfielder with grit and determination.

Kim noted it wasn’t easy for him, though; when the team played on the road, Lee would receive some racially-tinged epithets from fans in the stands at these away ballparks, but it never seemed to faze him. It just made him that much more determined to excel and to prove these hecklers wrong, doing with deeds rather than words.

“Lee was an amazing guy. He was always an upbeat guy and always smiling,” Kim recalled. “He was a team leader and helped to set the tone for the team and had such a love for baseball and had a love for all things Williamsport.”

She said he carried over his love of baseball into helping coach youngsters at the Brandon Little League, something he enjoyed immensely. He always liked showing his enthusiasm for baseball and passing on his love of it to others.

His baseball talent landed him a baseball scholarship to Broome County Community College in Binghamton, New York. Unfortunately, during the course of his playing career there, he “blew out his arm” and lost his scholarship.

He met the love of his life, Kim, in 1982, and by 1998 they were married. They had three children, Richelle, Lee Jr., and Michael and four grandchildren.

Kim stated, “He is so sadly missed by family and friends. Lee had a huge heart and a fun personality. He was so loved by many. If you ever wanted to find him, you just had to listen for the laughter; Lee always had a crowd around him, making everyone laugh. Life sure was fun with him, to say the least. He also always worked more than one job to provide for his family. He definitely was larger than life. He had the neat nickname, ‘the Brown Hornet.’”

He loved Williamsport High School and wanted to make sure that our children also graduated from the Williamsport Area School District. Kim herself is an employee at Williamsport Area School District, working in Health and Physical Education.

He was recognized by Williamsport Area High School through a Senior Award – the “Lee R. Whittington Sr. Baseball Award.” It goes to a senior baseball player that exemplifies what it means to be a great teammate, is always positive, willing to help others, and exhibits great sportsmanship.

Sadly, Lee died in 2016 of Amyloidosis, a rare disease that occurs when a protein called amyloid builds up in organs. This amyloid buildup can make the organs not work properly. Organs that may be affected include the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system, and digestive tract.

But Lee left behind a wonderful and loving legacy, and in a sense, he is an unseen angel looking over the Williamsport High School baseball team, rooting them on to victory, just as he did in life.