DANVILLE — “The world is going to miss this guy.”
Those were the words of Adam Decker, a longtime friend of Gary Gritton, who died suddenly on Monday at the age of 49.
“He was like a brother to me,’’ said Decker, who coached baseball with Gritton at Danville High. “The first time, I met him was in a YBA basketball game at the Y when I was like 5 years old. We were on opposite teams.’’
Decker and Gritton were also on opposite teams nearly 10 years later.
“He hit a 3-run homer off of me in the Pony League championship game, back when that was a big deal,’’ Decker said.
The two became really close during their years at Illinois State University, eventually Gritton was hired at Danville High as a social studies teacher and baseball coach. Decker took over the Danville Post 210 program and two helped each other along the way.
In 12 years at the helm of the Vikings baseball program, Danville went 187-171 with four 20-win seasons, five regional championships and a sectional title in 2012.
It was his first year with Post 210 that former Danville standout Geoff Desmond, who also played at Danville Area Community College and with the St. Louis Cardinals organization, first encountered Gritton.
“I played for Decker and him in my final year with Post 210,’’ Desmond said.
But, that relationship switched from a player-coach to a pair of friends.
“I only played for him that one year, but he was always around when I was playing in college and then playing professionally,’’ said Desmond, who admitted the two talked a lot about baseball and golf. “I started off coaching college baseball and when I decided to make a career change to education and high school coaching, Gritton was the guy that I went to for advice.’’
Desmond would become an assistant for Gritton before eventually taking over the Viking program in 2013.
“As coaches, of course, we are always trying to win, but Gary, like myself and a number of other coaches that mentored me, always knew there was something more than winning and losing,’’ Desmond said. “His philosophy in athletics was that you wanted each and every player to walk away with a great experience. That’s what he did and that’s what I always tried to do.’’
Desmond wasn’t the only former player to get into coaching after playing for Gritton.
Ben Wolgamot, the associate head coach at Troy University in Alabama, played for Gritton from 2005-07.
“I’ve been fortunate to be a coach for 20 years, and a huge part of that is the environment Grit created everyday in his baseball program,’’ said Wolgamot. “Growing up in Danville, we were so lucky for the coaches/people we had in our lives.
“I and all of his former players will forever be grateful for how he touched our lives.’’
Gritton coached several future professional players in his 24 years including Major Leaguer Chuckie Robinson, who played for Gritton from his sixth-grade days at North Ridge all the way through his graduation in 2013.
“He was just a really good guy. I played a lot of years for him and he was always good to me and my family,’’ Robinson said. “My grandpa (Charles Robinson Sr.) and I was just talking about how Coach Gritton was never biased. He allowed me to play up against older competition and that helped develop my game.’’
Gritton, along with Decker, was in Cincinnati on Aug. 29, 2022, when Robinson hit his first-ever Major League homer. Ironically, it was former Danville High standout Cole Smalley, the brother-in-law of Decker, that retrieved the ball.
“That just speaks volumes to the type of guy he was,’’ Robinson said. “As we grow older, life happens and people come and go, but coach Gritton has always been there, supporting me along my journey.’’
Several other former players went to social media since Gritton’s death.
“There are certain people in life who leave a lasting impression and help shape the person you become,’’ said Sloan Anderson. “Coach Gritton was one of those people for me. He led us to three straight regional titles, but more important, he taught me how to play the game the right way. He taught me the value of being on time — I’m still fifteen minutes early everywhere I go because of him.
“After playing for him for three years, he gave me the opportunity to coach alongside him, and our player/coach relationship grew into a friendship. He helped me through more than a few boneheaded situations I managed to get myself in to.’’
Former player Tyler Burton admitted he wasn’t sure how to put into words the way he felt.
“Coach Gritton (was) a man who shaped me far beyond the baseball field. He was more than coach…he was a mentor who demanded the best from me, even when I didn’t think I had more to give.
“The lessons he taught me … discipline, accountability, resilience… still guide me today in my career and in my life. Looking back, I can say without a doubt that many of my accomplishments are tied to the standards he set and the belief he instilled in me.’’
Gritton was a 1994 graduate of Oakwood High School, but he spent 24 years with Danville District 118.
“In his adult life, he was a Viking through and through,’’ Decker said.
District 118 Athletics Director Mark Bacys pointed out that Gritton’s impact was felt all over the school and on Tuesday, the Danville boys golf team found a unique way to honor Gritton.
“Our guys were teeing off on the No. 1 and No. 10 holes at the Country Club and I noticed they had taken athletic tape and put GG on the sleeves of their shirts,’’ Bacys said. “In the past two days, I’ve had kids from other sports come into the office and ask if they could do something special to honor him.
“I think the football team is going to put a sticker on their helmets and the baseball team is wanting to get a patch for their hats. Gary was a true leader and champion for Danville High kids.’’