Class of 2006

Bedford County Sports
Hall of Fame

Class of 2006
2006
Robert "Rock" Bryant
Robert "Rock" Bryant was known throughout the region for his character, sportsmanship, competitiveness, and tireless dedication to the game of baseball.

He was a catcher and coach for 40 years. Bryant served over seasons as a player and more than double that as coach of the Hyndman Merchants in the Pen-Mar Baseball League, a semi- professional tri-state league with teams in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. He also coached the Hyndman High baseball team from 1985 - 1992.

While some claim Bryant was named after legendary football Knute Rockne, others say his nickname stuck when Lloyd Keller, his high school baseball coach, exclaimed during a tough play at the plate that Bryant, a catcher, was "like a rock."

When Bryant graduated from Hyndman High School in 1947, he earned awards for two of his loves - first place in the American Legion's annual Americanism essay contest, and a letter and certificate for baseball. Lloyd Keller noted wryly in Bryant's graduation program, "Good luck, Bob -- I hope life does not knock you cock-eyed like baseball playing does."

Bryant married Phyllis Leydig of Bard, Pennsylvania, in August 1952. They made their home in Hyndman and had three children: Sherry, Grady, and Tracey.

Baseball quickly became a way of life for the Bryant family, and going to games across the tri-state region, in towns like Everett, Cumberland, Oakland, and Keyser, dominated their summers. Grady played on the team for many years with his dad.

Bryant began managing the Hyndman Merchants in the 1960s. The Merchants were originally the Hyndman VFW team of the old Interstate League and were heralded for years as the oldest team in the Pen-Mar League, having joined in 1954. They were pennant winners in 1957, 1958, 1961, 1965, and 1970, and playoff champs in 1959, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, and 1985. They were financially supported by the Hoblitzell National Bank of Hyndman and were provided uniforms by area merchants.

Highly regarded by the Pen-Mar League, Bryant was presented with the league s top awards on three occasions. He received the Sgt. John Sharp Memorial Award, bestowed on an individual "with character and integrity who best promotes baseball," and was a two-time recipient of the Pfc. Wellington M. Donahue Memorial Award, for fair play and sportsmanship. Both honors were named for servicemen who lost their lives in Vietnam. Donahue was a former Hyndman player.

In 1982, Bryant suffered a heart attack while at a game in Oakland, Maryland. He recovered and was back coaching in 1983. After the 1988 season, he hung up his Pen-Mar spikes but continued coaching the Hyndman High team through the 1992 season. He officially retired from the sport and enjoyed more time with family and friends, hunting and fishing.

On May 23, 1994, at the age of 64, Bryant died suddenly of a heart attack.

In a tribute in the Cumberland Times, sports writer Mike Mathews noted that it was Bryant's "passion for the game that kept him in it as a player and a coach for 40 years." As Matthews wrote, "Somewhere today there will be a baseball game. Somewhere, possibly at this very moment, a field is being prepared, teams are arriving, the equipment bags are being emptied."

And from heaven's bleachers, Rock Bryant will be cheering them.

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Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Class of 2006
Robert "Rock" Bryant

Robert "Rock" Bryant was known throughout the region for his    character, sportsmanship, competitiveness, and tireless dedication to the game of baseball.

He was a catcher and coach for 40 years. Bryant served over seasons as a player and more than double that as coach of the Hyndman Merchants in the Pen-Mar Baseball League, a semi- professional tri-state league with teams in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and  West Virginia. He also coached the Hyndman High baseball team from  1985 - 1992.

While some claim Bryant was named after legendary football  Knute Rockne, others say his nickname stuck when Lloyd Keller, his high school baseball coach, exclaimed during a tough play at the plate that Bryant, a catcher, was "like a rock."

When Bryant graduated from Hyndman High School in 1947, he earned  awards for two of his loves - first place in the American Legion's annual Americanism essay contest, and a letter and certificate for baseball.   Lloyd Keller noted wryly in Bryant's graduation program, "Good luck, Bob -- I hope life does not knock you cock-eyed like baseball playing does."

Bryant married Phyllis Leydig of Bard, Pennsylvania, in August 1952. They made their home in Hyndman and  had three children: Sherry, Grady, and Tracey.

Baseball quickly became a way of life for the Bryant family, and going to games across the tri-state region, in towns like Everett, Cumberland, Oakland, and Keyser, dominated their summers. Grady played on the team for many years with his dad.

Bryant began managing the Hyndman Merchants in the 1960s. The Merchants were originally the Hyndman VFW  team of the old Interstate League and were heralded for years as the oldest team in the Pen-Mar League, having joined in 1954. They were pennant winners in 1957, 1958, 1961, 1965, and 1970, and playoff champs in 1959, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, and 1985. They were financially supported by the Hoblitzell National Bank of Hyndman and were provided uniforms by area merchants.

Highly regarded by the Pen-Mar League, Bryant was presented with the league s top awards on three occasions. He received the Sgt. John Sharp Memorial Award, bestowed on an individual "with character and integrity who best promotes baseball," and was a two-time recipient of the Pfc. Wellington M. Donahue Memorial Award, for fair play and sportsmanship. Both honors were named for servicemen who lost their lives in Vietnam. Donahue was a former Hyndman player.

In 1982, Bryant suffered a heart attack while at a game in Oakland, Maryland. He recovered and was back coaching in 1983. After the 1988 season, he hung up his Pen-Mar spikes but continued coaching the Hyndman High team through the 1992 season. He officially retired from the sport and enjoyed more time with family and friends, hunting and fishing.

On May 23, 1994, at the age of 64, Bryant died suddenly of a heart attack.

In a tribute in the Cumberland Times, sports writer Mike Mathews noted that it was Bryant's "passion for the game that kept him in it as a player and a coach for 40 years." As Matthews wrote, "Somewhere today there will be a baseball game. Somewhere, possibly at this very moment, a field is being prepared, teams are arriving, the equipment bags are being emptied."

And from heaven's bleachers, Rock Bryant will be cheering them.

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