By Brian Hoffman, Sports Editor
When Greg Barton was playing sports for William Byrd High School in the late ’70s, he didn’t
think in his wildest dreams one of the fields at his alma mater would someday be named for him.
But that was the case last Saturday when friends, fellow Vinton celebrities and a slew of former
players honored him when the school named the softball field “Greg Barton Field.”
“I don’t really know what brought this up but after being a little embarrassed by it all I’ve
accepted it and it’s one the greatest accomplishments of my life,” said Barton, who has been with
the softball team for 26 years, including the last 16 as head coach.
“It’s a huge day for my family and I feel like I am just one person of many who have fought hard
to build our softball facilities and the program.”
After a week of rain, a beautiful Vinton day greeted the throng of well-wishers at the softball
field Saturday. The dirt around home plate was decorated with “Greg Barton Field” in chalk; the
current William Byrd team sat on the grass behind second base, and a whole lot of guests talked
about Greg and the Terrier program.
Daughter Lyndsey talked for Greg’s family, members of the 2019 championship team
reminisced; long-time friend Tim Greenway of the School Board made some remarks along with
a host of politicians, school administrators and Dean Peroulas, president of the softball booster
club, who was instrumental in getting the field named for Barton.
After all the accolades were concluded, a very humble Barton took the microphone to make his
remarks. He thanked wife Tammy for her support over the years and acknowledged all who
attended, including some from afar, while spreading the credit around to assistants, former
players and others who helped make the program and the beautiful softball facility possible.
After noting that he was just two wins away from 200 as head coach, he looked to the outfield
grass and implored the current team to get him those wins this spring. Then, folks gathered
around the concession stand/restroom building as Barton unveiled the new sign that proclaimed
the facility “Greg Barton Field, Home of the Lady Terriers.”
It was a special day for the community and for Barton, who bleeds maroon and orange. A 1979
graduate of William Byrd High School, his best sport was track where he was a middle-distance
runner. He also wrestled for the Big Orange under Roanoke Valley Wrestling Association Hall
of Famer Chuck Altice and played two years of football under former Byrd Coach Don Oakes,
who played professionally for the Patriots and Eagles and is in the Virginia Tech Athletic Hall of
Fame.
“I loved being on the team and listening to the stories about pro football,” said Barton. “I
remember him saying ‘You ought to try tackling O.J. Simpson.’ But I was six foot and 140
pounds and played on the scout team on offense and defense, so I didn’t see a lot of playing
time.”
After high school Greg was a lineman, but not of the football variety. He went to work for
Appalachian Power Company where he served as a lineman for 33 years. For most of that time
he was also coaching softball at Byrd.
“I averaged 1,100 overtime hours a year and coached on top of that,” he said. “I think I missed
three games in all my time at Byrd.”
Barton was introduced to softball when his daughter Lyndsey took up the sport at a young age.
“Lyndsey started playing softball at 6 years old and she just loved it,” said Barton. “When
Marcee Cook was head coach, she said I needed to come out and help and I joined the staff along
with Mike Andrews, who’s been with me ever since.”
Moving between the jayvee and varsity teams Greg was an assistant for 10 years. He served
under Cook, then Andrews and then Mike Mitchell, who encouraged him to apply for the head
coaching position when he stepped down. Mitchell is the current head coach at Roanoke College.
“I wasn’t sure I wanted to be the head coach, but (then Principal Richard) Dr. Turner told me I
was the one they wanted, so I decided to apply,” said Barton. “It was a lot of hours along with
my work, but it just worked out.”
The past 16 years have been a joy for Barton. He got to coach daughter Lyndsey, who went on to
play at Bluefield College and is now married to former Hidden Valley basketball player Matt
Partsch. They’ve given Greg and Tammy two grandchildren.
Greg’s daughter Laura was a manager for the Big Orange wrestling team and married former
Byrd state wrestling champ Michael Bryant; they have three children.
Greg’s youngest, son Will, was a wrestler, and he’s still single and living in Vinton.
Of course, the highlight of the past 16 years was the 2019 state softball championship. The
Terriers had a terrific team prior to that season but so did Woodgrove, and Byrd lost to the
Wolverines in the first round of the state tournament in 2017 and the state semifinals, 1-0, in
2018.
In 2019, Woodgrove was looking for a third straight state title but the Terriers denied them with
a walk-off state championship win. Sydney Burton singled in Megan Grant with the winning run
in the bottom of the seventh for a 3-2 win in the Class 4 championship game at the Moyer
Complex in Salem.
“We won three games in the state in the bottom of the seventh,” said Barton. “It was magical. It
still puts tears in my eyes to think about it.”
His only regret is that his father passed away that season prior to the championship win. Greg’s
mom is still living and attended the ceremony Saturday.
The girls from the 2019 team remain close and often gather to relive the state championship.
Barton had a cookout at his house last summer and many of the girls from that team attended.
Unfortunately, the Terriers didn’t get to defend their title a year later. In the spring of 2020, they
finished one scrimmage when the COVD epidemic hit and all spring sports were cancelled.
Several of the girls played their last year of college softball this past season but few from that
team would question that the 2019 championship was the highlight of their softball careers.
In addition to the high school team, Barton has coached travel ball for the past 15 years. He
started with the Scrappers for 10 years before starting his own team, the Star City Outlaws. That
lasted two seasons before he returned to the Scrappers where he currently helps Jessie Grubb
with the 18-and-under team.
Two of Grubb’s daughters, junior Ryleigh and freshman Hadyn, play for Greg on this year’s
Byrd team.
Barton shows no signs of slowing down, and after retiring from AEP two years ago he has more
time to devote to the field and the girls. He’s been popular with the players and parents and
hasn’t been burdened with parental issues like some other coaches he knows.
“I’ve probably had three negative conversations in all my years at Byrd,” he said. “I can relate to
players who are disappointed with playing time, because I was that kid. You just want them to be
out here and have fun. We’ve proven you can have fun and still win.”
Greg is the fourth person to have something named for him at the school. The football stadium is named for his former Principal Bob Patterson, and the field in the stadium is named for a former football and soccer coach, Jeff Highfill. The baseball park is named for former Coach Gary Walthall who attended the ceremony Saturday. Barton is humbled to be mentioned in the same breath as those former Byrd greats.
“I’m so proud of how far we’ve come in my 26 years at Byrd,” he said. “Just to be in the same
category as Coach Walthall, Coach Highfill and Mr. Patterson is beyond incredible to me. I have
been blessed with the greatest young ladies, assistant coaches, boosters and administrators. I
never thought of this as work, it’s just been my passion for many years.”
