Stephen Slezak, Campus Carrier asst. sports editor

The baseball team recently honored one of their own in a special dedication ceremony, opening an alumni deck behind the right field fence named “Cloud 9”. This deck is a tribute to the late David Cloud, who graduated from Berry in 1995. Cloud played catcher at Berry over his four years and wore the number nine. The “Cloud 9” deck serves as an exclusive area for Berry baseball alumni who have played for the program over the history of the program. The deck not only represents Cloud but also fosters a space for former players to come together and stay connected with the program. By naming the deck in Cloud’s honor, Cloud will always be remembered as an athlete here as well as a cherished member of the Berry community. His dedication to the sport and program left a lasting impact on the coaches and players who were fortunate enough to play with him.

Aiden Cloud, a junior infielder and member of the 2024 baseball team, is the son of David Cloud. Aiden started his college career at the University of Montevallo and attended that institution for three years before transferring to Berry. As a legacy player, Cloud knows what it means to him and his family to be able to play at David’s alma mater.

“Being able to say that I am playing on the same field as my dad and having the alumni deck dedicated in his name, that means a lot to me,” Cloud said. “It pushes me to always play and practice hard.”

The baseball program means a lot to alumni who came through the program and plaid all four years. 

“It’s a big part of our family,” Cloud said. “Now that I’m here it means a whole lot more to our family, especially after the passing of my dad. Being able to work on the field like my dad and do the student program through the coaches, to building the relationships with the guys on the team. Coach Beasley always kept in contact with my dad, knew what was going on in my dad’s life and knew what was going on in my life. Coming back was the best decision I’ve ever made, and my family knows it’s the best decision for our family.”

David Cloud had one career home run, and it happened to be over the right field fence, where the alumni deck now stands. The Cloud family was grateful when they found out about the dedication of the deck to David Cloud.

“It was [Aiden’s stepmom’s] idea to have something, even if it was a brick on the sidewalk here with my dad’s name on it,” Cloud said. “We wanted something here that was dedicated in honor of my dad. It was [Coach Beasley’s] idea to build the alumni deck; he’s been wanting it for a while, and he told us it would be amazing if we could dedicate it [in] my dad’s name.”

Charles Stevenson, an alumnus of the baseball program, played for five years while graduating from the college in 2023. Having spent significant time at Berry, he embodied the program and traditions of what it means to be a Viking. Stevenson attended the dedication of the “Cloud 9” deck, an event that was special to him and many other alumni. Like his fellow former players, he was excited for the establishment of the deck.

“I think that it is a great tribute to a member of our baseball family,” Stevenson said. “It is also a way for us to meet alumni and gather together to support the team. It’s going to be great to watch games in the spring with everyone who has experienced what it is to be a part of the team.”

With this deck now available for all the alumni, the former players have talked a little about what home games to come to. This year, the team hosts Marietta college in a two-game set as well as hosting multiple conference opponents. Having the alumni to support the team at the deck during these big games will bring the past and present players together with this addition.

“The alumni are looking forward to using the deck for the season,” Stevenson said. “We discussed a future game to come to in the spring, but there is not a set date for that yet.”

The dedication of the “Cloud 9” alumni deck is a meaningful tribute to the Cloud family and their connections with the baseball program. It not only honors David Cloud and his legacy with the program but also creates a special place for his son Aiden and the rest of the baseball alumni to have.