O Captain, My Captain: Will General, Stars Marketing Advisor

Bottom of the 10th. Game tied. Runners in scoring position. And coming to the plate is the Captain.

It’s a moment that kids have staged on the sandlot, in school hallways, and in their dreams for more than a century. It’s the hero moment when all comes together, the game rests on one swing, and a lifelong memory is made.

For Will General , a national marketing leader and a new part of the Marketing Team for the Nashville Stars Baseball Club , that moment came on the diamond in Davidson, North Carolina, as the catcher and senior captain of the Davidson College Wildcats strode to the plate against The Citadel.

“You have to remember that I was the captain of the team, without ever being a regular starter,” he remembers. “I wasn’t used to coming to bat. I had been called to pinch hit in the bottom of the 8th and hit a roller to third,” he remembers. “I headed back to the pen to warm up the pitchers, figuring that my day was done. And then, the PH spot came up again, and back at bat I went.”

Being ready for that moment had been part of General’s make-up — as well as his name — and one of the reasons that a longstanding bullpen catcher on a D-1 team would be elected captain by his teammates. He understood the experience. It was clear then, and it was clear going all the way back to his first baseball appearance, baseball hat on backwards, bat in hand, and determination on his face. He was one year old.

“I have always loved baseball,” he says, “the game, the experience, the friendships, the bullpen chatter, and I’ve always wanted to share that experience with others. That began with my family. Growing up in New Haven, Connecticut, both of my parents were Yankees fans, so it has been in my blood since birth. I have very fond memories of going to Yankees games with my dad — William General III — especially on Old Timers Day, which we attended regularly. To keep score and cheer on Bernie Williams and C.C. Sabathia was an enjoyed and treasured moment for us both.”

Helping others experience the game informed General’s professional career. Working for both national and global brands, his focus became maximizing the enjoyment for every fan who walked into a stadium. “As much as I love the on-field moments, I know that fans come to the game for all that happens in between innings as well,” he stated. “I looked at the entrances, the concession stands, the field, the seats and the entire stadium as moments for fans to connect with each other and enjoy the moment. Those moments — and the crack of the bat and cheers of the fans — combine to make a trip to the ballpark special.”

He’s looking forward to doing the same for the Nashville Stars when they take the field in Music City, and for him, their arrival will mean something more. “I’m bi-racial, and I have been connected to the Negro Leagues my entire life,” he reflects. “The legacy of the Negro Leagues energizes baseball today, from the game at Rickwood to the inclusion of Negro League stats. That’s important to me, and it’s important to the sport.

“The Nashville Stars give this city the opportunity to leave a mark on baseball before the?first game is played, and they will be another example of this special community and its?place in baseball history,” General added. “I am incredibly excited about what is going to happen here?and the chance I will have to share this sport with my children the way my parents?shared it with me.”

Serving as a testament to that special connection are two baseballs, one that is 25 years old and one that is only a few seasons old. Both bear General’s signatures. The first, the older one, has the penmanship of an 8-year-old, proudly etched alongside that of a boy’s father. The second ball bears a similar signature, written with all the confidence General’s four-year-old can muster, sharing the space with his own Dad’s signature. Two balls. Four signatures. A lifetime of memories already shared, and ones still to come.

“Those baseballs say everything to me,” General says, “about the game, its importance, and its ability to connect us all through the special moments that only baseball can create.”

Speaking of special moments, you’re probably wondering about that Davidson College game. Well, it was General back at the plate. It was a slider that he barreled up and laced into left center for the hit that brought home the winning run. The dog-pile ensued on the mound and the celebration continued on campus. General looked forward to reading the news in the next school paper, expecting a frame-ready image of his hit or his celebration to hang on his wall forever.

Indeed, there was an image of General – he was raking the infield.

“I never forgave the editor for that,” he jokes.

But there was something special and appropriate, even in that. The actor Billy Crystal told the story of his first visit to Yankee Stadium and seeing the outfield. “It was so green.” It’s fundamental. The game experience is embedded with the field itself. And there was General, making sure the fans saw the diamond at its best.