Tom Dodge
Perry Gallow plays each game with a fire and passion that still drives him at 54, the oldest player on his teams.
The 1982 Eunice High graduate and former Opelousas police chief will be inducted later this month into the Louisiana United States Speciality Sports Association Hall of Fame.
“I played football and baseball my senior year at Eunice High after having to sit out my junior year because I transferred as a sophomore from Church Point.”
Gallow said his early days of baseball was shaped by Bobcat head coach Clarence Merricks.
“He is a great coach and an even better human being. He is a class act.”
Gallow walked on to the University of Southwestern Louisiana team as a freshman under Cajun coach Mel Diddier.
It was at USL his passion for law enforcement began.
“I was a university police offficer for a year and that was what really got me attracted to law enforcement and I was hired by the Opelousas Police Department in 1986.”
After eight years as the Opelousas police chief, Gallow is now working as a contract employee with the US Federal Marshals – serving at the Lafayette courthouse.
His softball playing days began in 1992 when he joined some guys from the police department.
“Coming from baseball I didn’t think it would be very competitive,” Gallow reflected. “But I learned very quickly it’s not as easy of a game as it looks.
“I love being on the field and the challenge of competing,” he said.
Gallow said he played league games at Pelican Park in Carencro and his softball career took off after that.
He had to overcome two ACL tears as a police officer in 1996 and 2001 but still recovered to get back on the job and the softball field.
He plays senior ball with a Houston team called Mixed Breed and recently fought through the loser’s racket to win the 2018 Aggieland Classic in College Station, Texas.
Gallow also plays with Team Louisiana – a law enforcement team.
He has competed in the world series in Las Vegas including last year’s third place finish by Team Louisiana of a field of 46 teams.
“It was a moving experience as they honored the officers who were injured and or killed in the line of duty in the shooting tragedy that happened in Vegas.”
Gallow played most of his career at shortstop but has also played third as well as second base.
“I have met so many people through this sport,” he said. “I played against Jose Canseco a couple of times – to see him hit a softball is jaw dropping.”
Andre Dawson, Vida Blue, Dave Stewart, Ricky Henderson are some the MLB legends he has been on the same field competing.
“My wife Shaun supports me 200 percent or I wouldn’t be doing this without her blessing,” he said.
“I use my time on the teams to encourage young people,” Gallow said. “I want to see them succeed in life.
His son Travis, a former state trooper.has also played on the team with Perry.
Gallow was non-faculty baseball coach at Opelousas High from 2003-2005 including a stint as the head coach in 2005.
Each year, Louisiana USSSA and Louisiana USSSA Hall of Fame, Inc. celebrate those individuals who have greatly contributed to any and all of the Louisiana USSSA programs.
Gallow is one of six individuals included in this year’s inductees.
“I am very humbled for the honor of being selected,” he said.
“I was surprised when I found out in May of last year that I was nominated and shocked with the news last August that I would be an inductee.”
It is a virtual Hall of Fame with photos and information of each inductee online.
The ceremony will be Aug. 25 at the Doubletree Hilton in Lafayette.
Gallow said he is also excited be part of the 13th annual Eunice High Alumni tournament set for Aug. 17-18.
“I love it,” he said of the weekend. “It is a great opportunity to reconnect with some you haven’t seen in decades. It is a fun time.”
Others to be inducted with Gallow include players Jack Dale Delhomme (Breaux Bridge), Wendell Rickard (The Villages, Florida), umpire Trudy Guillory (Broussard) , manager Doug Haydel (Thibodaux), director Polly Rousselle (Kenner) and a special category selection Steve Peloquin (Lafayette).
Hall Of Honor Inductees include Charlie’s Pride, boys youth team from Carencro and Kate Latter’s, a women’s team from Metairie.