A win for Mona Shores baseball, the Bard family, and congenital heart defect patients.
(Photo | Leo Valdez)
By Scott DeCamp
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – Baseball has been in the Bard family’s blood since Paul Bard was a generational talent for Muskegon High School in the early-1940s.
It was very fitting, even poetic, what played out for the Bards on May 22 at Marsh Field.
On an evening dedicated to 13-month-old Mason Bard and others who have been impacted by congenital heart defects, his father Brandon Bard’s Mona Shores team defeated Rockford in dramatic fashion: A 5-4, nine-inning walk-off in the finale of the 2026 “Friday Night Lights” series.
“You couldn’t have drawn this up any more special,” Brandon Bard said as he held his son in his arms. “The day we picked, the game we picked – to have this kind of miraculous ending was just extremely special to cap off a wonderful evening.”
Mona Shores senior Jayden Ammeraal’s fielder’s choice scored sophomore Anthony Rosario from third base with the winning run. On his 18th birthday, Ammeraal was celebrated in grand fashion as Sailors teammates poured from the dugout, mobbed him near the first-base bag area, and doused him with water bottles.
Ammeraal was more than happy to share the spotlight with his coach’s family, playing for such a noble cause, which exceeded the $2,000 donation goal.
Mona Shores players donned special black jerseys with script “Sailors” across the chest, a heart rate graph below that, and a heart on the right sleeve. Playing for their coach’s family and other children’s congenital heart defect patients and their families was all the motivation Ammeraal and Rosario needed.
“It just adds energy. I mean, it adds a reason for what we do,” Ammeraal said. “It adds a little extra fire under us, and it’s great to be able to support him with a win but win or lose it’s great to support the cause.”
Said Rosario: “It’s great. You know, we’re representing a good cause for (coach Bard’s) son. It’s great to play for his son and just play for the stuff on our shirts.”
Mason Bard arrived in the world April 11, 2025, at University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. He was born with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), a congenital heart defect where the two main arteries leaving the heart are reversed from their normal positions.
Mason’s first surgery was within 24 hours of his birth. The bigger surgery occurred three days after his birth, an eight-hour procedure which corrected transposition of the arteries so that blood could flow properly throughout his body.
Melissa Bard said that Mason is doing really well and that all things are pointing in a positive direction.
“There’s no place we’d rather be. We had top-notch surgeons,” Melissa Bard said.
During a routine, 20-week ultrasound when Melissa Bard was carrying Mason, doctors discovered a heart abnormality.
From that point, the Bards were referred to a pediatric cardiologist at University of Michigan Health-West in West Michigan. A plan was created for the Bards so they were prepared for everything along the way.
Mason will continue to receive routine check-ups and scans.
“He’s active, he’s moving – he’s doing everything that a normal 1-year-old should do, so we are very, very blessed,” Melissa Bard said.
Brandon and Melissa also have two daughters – 15-year-old Kenzie and 2-year-old Austyn.
“I’m thankful to have a rock of a wife to lean on,” Brandon Bard said. “You know the hours and the commitment to coaching in general. With two young kids at home and a 15-year-old stepdaughter that’s playing three sports at the high school, that’s a lot of moving pieces and a lot of things going on. I’m just thankful to have such a rock in my household that allows me to do this and coach and do the things that I love.
“And you do it for moments like this, man, and nights like this. It’s been such a true joy to coach at Mona Shores 11 years now and you’ve just got to enjoy it and love every second of it.”
As stated, baseball is a family affair for the Bards.
Brandon Bard is assisted on the Mona Shores baseball staff by younger brother, Andrew, and their father, Howie.
Howie Bard’s father, Paul, was a tremendous three-sport athlete at Muskegon High, also excelling in football and basketball. He started at quarterback as a freshman at Western Michigan University before he went into the Air Force to serve in World War II.
Muskegon Big Reds baseball was truly remarkable with Paul Bard leading the way, going 26-0 in his final two years on the varsity team in 1941 and 1942. In recent years, MaxPreps named Muskegon’s 1942 squad a mythical national champion. Bard was named national player of the year in 1941.
The love of baseball in the Bard family was passed down from Paul to Howie, and from Howie to his sons. In fact, Howie Bard said Brandon and Andrew were part of an era when youngsters still played baseball in the yard and in the neighborhood.
“We were down in Florida when they were at the hospital when (Mason) was born and three days later had the surgery. Everybody on the team was wanting updates, ‘How are things going?’” Howie Bard said. “I would have been a mess had I not been down there (in Florida) with the guys and helped with spring training and bringing things along.
“The care that they had,” he continued, becoming more emotional, “for our family was huge. It goes both ways.”
Andrew Bard, who has a young family of his own, understands how vital of a role family plays, especially during trying times.
“The support system is huge – not just the Mona Shores community but Escanaba where Melissa is from and they were all involved, too,” he said. “When they knew everything was going to be OK (with Mason), when they got back home, people were staying at their house and making sure his daughter was in good hands. You know, it takes a village. Everybody pitched in and got them through it.”
Brandon Bard quipped that Mason has not yet taken to baseball: “He likes to dunk on his mini-hoop.” He has plenty of time to develop a love for America’s Pastime, just like the Bards before him.
Meanwhile, Brandon and Melissa Bard believe it’s important to spread awareness and offer support for those affected by congenital heart defects.
“We didn’t know it was something until we went through it ourselves. It’s the most common defect in babies,” Melissa Bard said. “It’s just giving back. There’s families that probably need more help than we do; there are kids with worse heart conditions than what Mason had.”
Added Brandon: “On one hand, you’re blessed from (Mason) and his health and, (on) the other hand, it’s life-changing. The way you approach life, the way that you look at the little things that don’t really matter as much anymore that they used to, and I think you’re changed for the better but you’re changed forever. We’re so blessed that he’s healthy and he’s on the path that he’s on and we can still enjoy these things that we’re enjoying right now.”
––––
Editorial note: This article was edited for space.
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – Baseball has been in the Bard family’s blood since Paul Bard was a generational talent for Muskegon High School in the early-1940s.
It was very fitting, even poetic, what played out for the Bards on May 22 at Marsh Field.
On an evening dedicated to 13-month-old Mason Bard and others who have been impacted by congenital heart defects, his father Brandon Bard’s Mona Shores team defeated Rockford in dramatic fashion: A 5-4, nine-inning walk-off in the finale of the 2026 “Friday Night Lights” series.
“You couldn’t have drawn this up any more special,” Brandon Bard said as he held his son in his arms. “The day we picked, the game we picked – to have this kind of miraculous ending was just extremely special to cap off a wonderful evening.”
Mona Shores senior Jayden Ammeraal’s fielder’s choice scored sophomore Anthony Rosario from third base with the winning run. On his 18th birthday, Ammeraal was celebrated in grand fashion as Sailors teammates poured from the dugout, mobbed him near the first-base bag area, and doused him with water bottles.
Ammeraal was more than happy to share the spotlight with his coach’s family, playing for such a noble cause, which exceeded the $2,000 donation goal.
Mona Shores players donned special black jerseys with script “Sailors” across the chest, a heart rate graph below that, and a heart on the right sleeve. Playing for their coach’s family and other children’s congenital heart defect patients and their families was all the motivation Ammeraal and Rosario needed.
“It just adds energy. I mean, it adds a reason for what we do,” Ammeraal said. “It adds a little extra fire under us, and it’s great to be able to support him with a win but win or lose it’s great to support the cause.”
Said Rosario: “It’s great. You know, we’re representing a good cause for (coach Bard’s) son. It’s great to play for his son and just play for the stuff on our shirts.”
Mason Bard arrived in the world April 11, 2025, at University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. He was born with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), a congenital heart defect where the two main arteries leaving the heart are reversed from their normal positions.
Mason’s first surgery was within 24 hours of his birth. The bigger surgery occurred three days after his birth, an eight-hour procedure which corrected transposition of the arteries so that blood could flow properly throughout his body.
Melissa Bard said that Mason is doing really well and that all things are pointing in a positive direction.
“There’s no place we’d rather be. We had top-notch surgeons,” Melissa Bard said.
During a routine, 20-week ultrasound when Melissa Bard was carrying Mason, doctors discovered a heart abnormality.
From that point, the Bards were referred to a pediatric cardiologist at University of Michigan Health-West in West Michigan. A plan was created for the Bards so they were prepared for everything along the way.
Mason will continue to receive routine check-ups and scans.
“He’s active, he’s moving – he’s doing everything that a normal 1-year-old should do, so we are very, very blessed,” Melissa Bard said.
Brandon and Melissa also have two daughters – 15-year-old Kenzie and 2-year-old Austyn.
“I’m thankful to have a rock of a wife to lean on,” Brandon Bard said. “You know the hours and the commitment to coaching in general. With two young kids at home and a 15-year-old stepdaughter that’s playing three sports at the high school, that’s a lot of moving pieces and a lot of things going on. I’m just thankful to have such a rock in my household that allows me to do this and coach and do the things that I love.
“And you do it for moments like this, man, and nights like this. It’s been such a true joy to coach at Mona Shores 11 years now and you’ve just got to enjoy it and love every second of it.”
As stated, baseball is a family affair for the Bards.
Brandon Bard is assisted on the Mona Shores baseball staff by younger brother, Andrew, and their father, Howie.
Howie Bard’s father, Paul, was a tremendous three-sport athlete at Muskegon High, also excelling in football and basketball. He started at quarterback as a freshman at Western Michigan University before he went into the Air Force to serve in World War II.
Muskegon Big Reds baseball was truly remarkable with Paul Bard leading the way, going 26-0 in his final two years on the varsity team in 1941 and 1942. In recent years, MaxPreps named Muskegon’s 1942 squad a mythical national champion. Bard was named national player of the year in 1941.
The love of baseball in the Bard family was passed down from Paul to Howie, and from Howie to his sons. In fact, Howie Bard said Brandon and Andrew were part of an era when youngsters still played baseball in the yard and in the neighborhood.
“We were down in Florida when they were at the hospital when (Mason) was born and three days later had the surgery. Everybody on the team was wanting updates, ‘How are things going?’” Howie Bard said. “I would have been a mess had I not been down there (in Florida) with the guys and helped with spring training and bringing things along.
“The care that they had,” he continued, becoming more emotional, “for our family was huge. It goes both ways.”
Andrew Bard, who has a young family of his own, understands how vital of a role family plays, especially during trying times.
“The support system is huge – not just the Mona Shores community but Escanaba where Melissa is from and they were all involved, too,” he said. “When they knew everything was going to be OK (with Mason), when they got back home, people were staying at their house and making sure his daughter was in good hands. You know, it takes a village. Everybody pitched in and got them through it.”
Brandon Bard quipped that Mason has not yet taken to baseball: “He likes to dunk on his mini-hoop.” He has plenty of time to develop a love for America’s Pastime, just like the Bards before him.
Meanwhile, Brandon and Melissa Bard believe it’s important to spread awareness and offer support for those affected by congenital heart defects.
“We didn’t know it was something until we went through it ourselves. It’s the most common defect in babies,” Melissa Bard said. “It’s just giving back. There’s families that probably need more help than we do; there are kids with worse heart conditions than what Mason had.”
Added Brandon: “On one hand, you’re blessed from (Mason) and his health and, (on) the other hand, it’s life-changing. The way you approach life, the way that you look at the little things that don’t really matter as much anymore that they used to, and I think you’re changed for the better but you’re changed forever. We’re so blessed that he’s healthy and he’s on the path that he’s on and we can still enjoy these things that we’re enjoying right now.”
––––
Editorial note: This article was edited for space.
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