Chris Whitaker
Collin Holloway can thank his older brother Chandler for a lot of things.
Blisters on his hands from playing burnout, having stitches twice over one of his eyes, and all the times he did extra chores.
The Southland Academy freshman and senior have shared a lot more life experiences that have made each other stronger, including in the realm of baseball.
They’ve made key contributions this season and will help lead the Raiders into the GISA AAA playoffs today with the opener of a three-game series against Pinewood Christian.
“I feel like our team’s coming together, and I think we’re about to peak at the right time,” said Chandler, who is 18.
The Raiders rallied twice on Tuesday’s senior day to beat Trinity Christian 10-9 in eight innings. Chandler’s ground-rule double tied the game at 6 in the bottom of the seventh. Chandler was the designated hitter in the ninth spot, and Collin batted eighth while starting at third base.
“Sometimes you have the fast people at the top and those who can hit for a high percentage in the back,” said Collin, 15. “I told (Chandler) good job after the hit and gave him a chest bump. He was kind of in a slump, and it was good to see him finally get out of it.”
This year was the first time the two brothers have played together on the same team. They started back in the fall in football with Chandler leading the team in sacks (2) and was fifth in tackles (45) while Collin was third with 443 rushing yards. It’s continued into the spring and baseball.
“I played against him over the summer when I played for the (Americus) Travelers,” said Chandler. “I’m finally glad he’s on my team instead of me getting to watch him. I get to interact with him on the field.”
The brothers have had balls and bats since they were 2, and Collin got his first taste of burnout when he was in the third grade. Chandler had just started pitching, and he wanted to test his skills and see how hard he could throw it. So he picked Collin as his catcher.
“It was pretty hard,” said Collin. “He liked to show off when cars were driving by. He threw it in the backyard once, but he never hit anything.”
Collin is quiet most of the time, but talking about competition with his brother gets him going.
“We’re both competitive when it comes to each other, but in sports, I think I’m probably more competitive,” said Collin. “Chandler’s more laid back and I’m serious. I like to win that much more.”
Recalling stories from when they were younger also prompted smiles from Collin. He said one thing he was better than Chandler at was running — because when they got into fights Chandler couldn’t catch him.
He also recalled one instance when they were at a friend’s house and they decided to play baseball, but with a basketball.
“I’m small and Chandler can throw it hard and I’m up there hitting,” said Collin. “He throws as hard as he can, I swing, and it (bat) ricochets and busted my eye open. By the time I got my stitches out we had another accident.”
Said Chandler: “I was pretty much forgiven by then, but one time I got out of the shower and I got the bright idea to soap up the bottom of the shower, and I lathered up the whole bottom of it. It was white, so you really couldn’t tell. He went to get in, and went in and right back out. He had to get more stitches.”
Chandler even made Collin do his chores growing up in return to hang out with him and his friends.
Those are just some of the many stories the brothers shared. And through all those experiences, their mom Amy Ash said they grew closer.
“They tell each other everything and take up for each other whether it’s friends or me or their dad getting on them,” she said. “I think Chandler tries to be a good influence on Collin, but they both support each other and respect each other’s opinions.”
Ash sometimes likes her opinion to be heard, too. Especially when the two are batting. She started four years for the Southland slow-pitch team from 1982-1985, and led the team in hitting the last two seasons in being selected All-Region.
“She’s always on me about rolling my wrists when I’m hitting. I hear more of that from her than anywhere else,” he said. “When I’m on deck, that’s the only time it gets on my nerves.”
Probably the biggest influence in the brothers’ lives is grandfather Raymond Holt, who starred as center for the Georgia Tech football team.
“He taught us a lot, and he’s pretty much like another dad,” said Chandler. “He helped us, pitched to us and taught us mechanics. He taught us about life and how to be humble about accomplishments. He and my mom taught us God gets the glory.”
Holt comes to every home game. While he taught them about baseball and football, he always reminded them to look at the big picture and how to handle life when it doesn’t go the right way.
Those teachings were most important in February. Their sister, Carey, was engaged to be married when her fiancee Josh Willis was killed in a traffic accident on his way back to the University of Georgia.
“I told them we don’t know the answer to why things like that happen, but there’s nothing wrong with being sad or crying,” said Holt. “The Lord is in control of all we do.”
The brothers not only had to be there for each other, but their sister, too.
“Josh and Carey weren’t married, but we already considered him in the family,” said Chandler. “I took it hard, and it was the first time I really saw Collin cry. We had to be strong for our sister. It’s still not real sometimes. I feel like he’s in Athens and just hasn’t come home.
“That made us closer because when something like that happens to someone that close, it makes you realize you don’t know when your time is. Why live your life mad and angry at someone when you could be happy because tomorrow’s not promised.”
That experience has made both Collin and Chandler more patient with each other, and baseball has been a way for them to spend even more time together.
With an extra couple of years’ experience on the diamond, Chandler said his little brother has a chance to be better than he was during his own career.
“I think he might be close to being almost as good,” he said. “I think for Collin, he just has to keep working. In my eyes he’s a workhorse, he’s always working and trying to get better. If he does that, he’ll succeed way past what I’ve done, and I hope he does.”
