We have lost a wonderful person. I met Mary Ann in 2001 when our boys squared off against each other during a high school tournament. We were the only team from Florida playing in AJ's back yard and Mary Ann was standing behind the backstop and began asking me questions about our team. She made me feel very comfortable and was very complimentary about our overmatched players. I knew right then what a classy person she was. I asked her what her name was and she said Mary Ann Shappi. I had seen AJ pitch the night before on the Cal State Fullerton field and completely dominate the opposing team so I said are you AJ Shappi's mother and she was a little surprised-told her I saw the game last night and had never seen such a performance by a HS pitcher. She kind of shrugged it off and just said "AJ was very happy". We talked for a few more innings and said our goodbyes. Little did I know that our paths would cross again a couple of years later on the HSBaseball Web. We've PM'd a number of times and I root for AJ as if he were my own son.
AJ your mother was a wonderful person that touched a lot of lives all over this country and she was very,very proud of you.
You can be very,very proud of her. She was a GEM!
We miss you Mary Ann.