DES MOINES, Iowa — Larry Sellers was a jokester. He was a people person. And he had an amazing memory.
The grandfatherly figure of Grandview Little League left a fifty-year-long legacy after he passed away in March.
Friends and family told Local 5 Larry advocated for little league baseball in young Iowans' lives because he "always felt like there was an important place for it in the community. And kids deserve a place to play ball."
Larry and his brother, Jerry, both coached a little league team in the 1960's; Larry was instantly hooked and began to dedicate his life to it.
Larry's wife, Jan, met him at the ballpark on Des Moines' east side when she took her own kids to play. She said they hit it off and shared a 32-year marriage.
"He was just so kind, so welcoming to everyone," said Jan. "I was going through a divorce and he was too, so we bonded over that."
Larry served on the Grandview Little League Board, as well as numerous other positions in the program. He organized the tournaments, set the rules, and fired up the grill for breakfast every Saturday morning.
"He was always the first one there," said Paul Clinton, a long-time volunteer. "He'd be getting the coffee ready, making breakfast sandwiches on the grill, all of that."
Clinton said Larry had a great sense of humor and did things "old-school."
"He didn't really like all that tech stuff, he wrote everything down," said Clinton. "He knew everyone's phone number, everyone's name. All of it."
Larry built Grandview Little League into what it is now: an organization for kids all around Des Moines to learn the game and develop friendships, as well as win championships.
"We have people from all over Iowa call us to see if they can play," said Clinton. "We try not to turn anyone away, but sometimes we have to."
Jan said she often felt like little league was Larry's first love, but she was ok with sharing that part of him.
"He had awesome friends that are friends 'til now," said Jan. "He's seen four generations of families come through there so he always enjoyed that."
Larry Sellers' name is on one of the softball fields on the complex to ensure his legacy lives on.
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