One thing I have learned is that good friends have other good friends. This is a series of stories about “friends of my friends”. The post below is the story for January 6, 2015.
In 1992 I met David Angel when my family and I moved to Rock Hill, SC. I had just became the Basketball Coach at Winthrop University. David and his wife Jan were not only great friends but great supporters of Winthrop. My family spent 6 years in Rock Hill and we loved the community and university. Some of my best memories from that time involved being around David Angel and to experience his enthusiasm, loyalty, and love for people whether they were friends, family, or people in his community. David knew how to make people feel good and that carried over to his business. He has a great family with three lovely daughters all talented, all beautiful, and like dad & mom all tall. One daughter Jana is a professional volleyball player in France. David and Jan’s youngest daughter Savannah is a college volleyball player at High Point. Their third daughter Alexandria lives in Savannah. It is just a great family.
David grew up in Rock Hill and was a stellar HS basketball player. His talent and 7’0″ frame earned him a basketball scholarship to Clemson University. After college he played some pro basketball and then retired from basketball. It should be pointed out that David did take up belly flopping for a short period of time and is recognized by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as a Hall of Famer. Below I have posted a picture of that award winning dive.
He left pro basketball and became part of his family’s business called Angel Insurance Agency. That business has been around for over 40 years and has been recognized on the state, regional, and national level with all types of awards. Some of the many awards include National Service Agency Award Winner twice, awarded South Carolina Service Agent of the year four consecutive years in a row, and multiple times being named the Nationwide All-Star team. If Nationwide Insurance gives out an award David Angel has won it. I encourage you to go their website to learn more about their business.
David had a high school teammate and friend by the name of Mike Randall. To everyone in Rock Hill during his adult life he was known as “wormy”. He was a standout baseball player and guard on the Rock Hill HS basketball team. Mike like David attended Clemson after graduation. He also was an insurance agent in Rock Hill and was known by everyone in the community as a man who would get involved in fundraising especially if it benefited kids or recreation. Wormy’s quote was always the same when asked about attending a fundraising meeting “Who’s bringing the Coors Light.”
The friend-DAVID ANGEL
The friend of the friend-MIKE RANDALL sorry no photo available
David Angel’s Story about Mike Randall-the impact of a man on a community
On Saturday October 15, 1994 my friend Mike “Wormy” Randall went deer hunting with one of his sons. He had a massive heart attack and died. Shock, dismay, and grief were emotions not only felt by me but the entire Rock Hill community. Mike was synonymous with any fundraising effort that went on in our community.
My story is about how a community didn’t forget the good work Mike Randall did in his life. Mike’s family is still in Rock Hill. He has an older brother who is an excellent surgeon and sister who is highly regarded attorney. Mike’s dad worked in construction and did much of the grading/infrastructure work in a number of Rock Hill sub-divisions. Mike’s wife Marsha is still in the community.
After Mike’s death the community went about raising money for the “Randall Children Educational Fund” thru a golf tournament called the “Wormy Open”. That foundation helped Mike’s children attend college. The community didn’t forget Mike Randall and I am proud of my hometown and friends for that support.
It was amazing in the first year what was accomplished with the golf tournament. A big shout to the success has to go to Big John Porter for his relentless fundraising efforts. Big John is also the one who tagged Mike with the nickname “Wormy” after Mike lost a lot of weight thru dieting. Big John said Mike must have worms and the nickname stuck. We had over $10,000 in sponsorships from people and businesses who wouldn’t even be attending the event. We only served “Coors Light” at the Wormy Open donated by Comer Distributing. We had beer left over and we auctioned it off for $400 a case. Jake Smith bid $500 for a set of golf clubs and immediately asked the auctioneer to sell them again. He bid $500 again and purchased those clubs a second time. We had golf balls imprinted with “Wormy Open” that sold for a $50 a dozen.
The community also responded by naming a ball field after Mike Randall at Hargett Park.
Mike and others in the community including Roman Gabriel & Eddie Brown used persistent fundraising to make that 20 acre park located off Cherry Road a reality. I am proud Mike’s name is on one of those ball fields.
The “Wormy Open” and Rock Hill would have made Mike Randall proud especially since his friends brought the Coors Light.
coach4aday 
Another good one
Sent from my iPhone
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Thanks Jeff-let me know when you get your blog launched. I will be a follower
You are way to kind, thank you my friend.
[…] Mike Randall had died while hunting on the first day of deer season in South Carolina. I did a post on Mike and a mutual friend David Angel back in 2015. I still remember Mike each October 15th. He reminds me that every day is a […]
[…] in 1994 after our first practice at Winthrop University that Mike Randall had died. I did a post on Mike and his friend David Angel several years […]
[…] after our first practice at Winthrop University that Mike Randall had died. I did a post on Mike and his friend David Angel several years […]
[…] in 1994 after our first practice at Winthrop University that Mike Randall had died. I did a post on Mike and his friend David Angel several years ago. There is ball field named after Mike at Hargett Park in Rock Hill […]