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NastySlot
10-16-2008, 10:02 AM
going to the World Series...with the Phillies....Congrats...............coached with Clay's dad...the late Lee Condrey....great coach and incredible history teacher.....and did my classroom observation hours in his mother's (Beverly) 8th grade American History classes......good article this week in the examiner:


Even before Clay Condrey was old enough to go to school, his mother had a good idea he was going to be a baseball pitcher.

Condrey, who graduated from Navasota High School in 1994, is pitching in relief with the National League’s division champion Philadelphia Phillies. Mom Beverly, who teaches English at the high school, couldn’t be more overwhelmed.

“There are no words to even explain what it’s like,” she said. “A Cinderella story maybe?”

The Condrey family moved to Navasota when Clay was 4 years old, and even then he had a penchant for baseball.

“One day I kept hearing this ‘thump-thump’ sound outside,” Beverly recalled. “Clay had taken duct tape and made a square on the garage wall and was throwing a baseball at it. He did that for hours, and he was just four or five years old.”


Although he was an all-sports athlete at NHS, Clay’s first love was baseball, said his mom. Condrey’s high school coach was his father, the late Lee Condrey, who died two years ago. He was able to see Clay play in the majors a few times when his son was in the San Diego Padres’ farm system. “Lee got to see him a couple of times, and I’m sure he’s still watching. Probably has the best seat in the house, too,” Beverly said.

Clay went to the pros from McNeese State University. He made his major league debut Aug. 28, 2002, with the Padres. He spent the 2002-03 season with the San Diego club. During the 2003 season, he started 43 games between the AAA Portland club and the majors and logged a 4.13 earned run averge.

Condrey spent the entire 2004 season in the international league with the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. The big right-hander led the team in starts and innings pitched. After the 2005 season with the Red Barrons, he was called up to Philadelphia’s big club in May 2006.



He began the season on the Phillies’ roster in 2007, and was designated for reassignment four times that year before finally going back to the big club in August.

He began the 2008 season with the Phils, working in middle relief. He features a sinker, cutter, curve, change-up and four-seam fastball. In 56 games with the Phillies, Condrey has pitched 69 innings and has a 3-4 record with 34 strikeouts and only 19 walks. In the division championship series against the Chicago Cubs, Clay pitched one inning, giving up one run.

Beverley Condrey is enjoying the post-season baseball race, and after the Phillies won the division, she’s really hopeful she’ll see her son on the national stage in an important role. Lee Condrey, however, will still have the best seat from which to watch.


Good Luck to Clay and his teammates......and God Bless his family.....LeeRoy is walking around heaven with a huge smile.

95mustang
10-16-2008, 10:27 AM
Now I know who to pull for in the series. GO PHILLIES

OldBison75
10-16-2008, 10:28 AM
I have known Clay and the Condrey family for about 20 years and can tell you that they are a class act. All three of my children have benn taught by the Condrey parents and will tell you that they learned how to be good students and people from thier example. Coach Lee Condrey was the best example of a leader, coach and father you could ask for. Even when very ill with cancer, he was teaching and helping the kids at Navasota High School. Such a fine man is still dearly missed by many in Navasota. Clay and Beverly, his mom, have been fixture in Navasota and are loved by this town. I know that many are proud of the accomplishments of Clay, but I'll guarantee you that Lee Condrey is walking around heaven right now with a huge smile and proud strut. He knew Clay was good in high school, and was his coach and father. I hope for all the best for Clay in the World Series, and I know that Lee Condrey will be sitting in his easy chair near the mound in heaven telling his boy to relax and concentrate and "just do what you know how to do". God Bless the Condrey family. To Clay's wife and child, Elizabeth, you have been around sports all your life , being from a coach's family too. I am also proud to know you and call you a friend. You are both winners from families of winners.

venomous tat2
10-16-2008, 10:29 AM
I had the privilege to teach Clay P.E. 1st through 4th grade and also coached him on my lil dribblers team that won the national championship in 1988 . I noticed early on he was something special he was damn good at everything he played .

navscanmaster
10-16-2008, 11:39 AM
He'll be around with Elizabeth come Go Texan time at the fairgrounds, probably in his coveralls, lol. He is still a great, down to earth guy. He'll stop and take the time to teach a kid finger position and wrist rotation. I am glad to see that he has stayed with it after his past struggles at the big league level. Go Phillies! (Wow, I can't believe I am rooting for a team from Philadelphia!)