Behind the scenes: Art Besser and Randy Minyard

Thursday, April 27, 2000 | 9:20 a.m.

ART BESSER / President of Nevada Youth Baseball Association

Contribution to prep sports: Besser is in his ninth year as president of the body that governs local American Legion Baseball in the summer. He presides over a 12-member board which compiles the league's game schedule, arranges for field usage and collects league fees, which help pay for equipment and umpires. Besser and company are also responsible for running the state tournament and annual all-star night festivities. "Aside from high school baseball, Legion is the next highest level of (prep) baseball there is," said Besser, who also serves as the head coach for Silverado's Legion team and an assistant for the Skyhawks during the spring. "The players are very good, and they like to be there playing in the summer. The reward is seeing the kids succeed." Besser's two sons coach baseball at Palo Verde, with Mike serving as the Panthers' head coach and Artie serving as one of his brother's assistants.

RANDY MINYARD / Durango High scorekeeper/announcer

Contribution to prep sports: For the past nine years, Minyard has been the voice of Trailblazer home baseball and football games, along with the Durango baseball team's official scorer for home and road contests. After sons Randy Jr. and Sam played baseball for then-Eldorado coach Mike Gomez in the late 1980s, Minyard followed Gomez to Durango to become a part of the new program. "When I met Mike, he said he wanted to make the Durango experience special, especially for the guys that wouldn't go on to play college or pro ball," Minyard said. So, after taking a computer programing class at UNLV, Minyard created a sound program he uses at Blazer home games -- with sirens celebrating home runs and shattered glass following foul balls. He also provides the Durango coaches with meticulous stat-keeping. "I noticed there was a lack of consistency for keeping score. When my boys played, you'd see kids batting .500 with 100 RBIs and you'd say no way," Minyard said. "I work hard to provide the coaches with good information. It's a class program, and it's fun to be involved with a winning program. That keeps me coming back every year."