'Gary Stamp Day' Saturday at Cornell

MOUNT VERNON – Cornell College's softball team will hold “Gary Stamp Day” in recognition of the longtime area coach during its doubleheader with Wartburg on Saturday at Mount Vernon Softball Complex.

Stamp, 65, has been undergoing treatment for Stage IV lung cancer, for which he was diagnosed in early March.

Cornell will accept donations at Saturday's gate with all proceeds going to the Stamp family. A bake sale will also take place throughout the afternoon. The Cornell team and Stamp family will wear black and white “Gary Stamp Day” shirts, donated by the softball program.

Before the start of the 2 p.m. doubleheader, Cornell's softball program will provide a short presentation of Stamp's story and his connection to the team.

“We want to dedicate this day as a benefit for Gary, and to honor him,” Cornell head coach Shanda Ness said in a release. “Gary's children and family are a big part of our program.”

Stamp's daughter, Paige Telecky, is in her third season as Cornell's pitching coach. His son, Quinn, is a second-year assistant on Cornell's coaching staff.

Stamp has coached the past four seasons at Mount Vernon High School, leading the Mustangs to back-to-back state softball tournament appearances in 2009 and 2010. He's had coaching stints at 11 different area high schools in a successful career that has included softball, baseball and football. He guided the Lisbon baseball team to the Class 1A state title in 1994.