Goochland’s Chamber of Commerce held their annual dinner meeting last Thursday at Hermitage Country Club.

Dubbed “Big Time Stars – Small Town Heroes,” the highlight of the evening was a talk by keynote speaker Richard Verlander on his and his wife Kathy’s experiences raising one of the most successful major league pitchers in history, their son, Justin Verlander.

Wayne Dementi in his introduction reminded the audience what the Goochland baseball star has achieved.

In 2011, said Dementi, all Justin Verlander did was win the American League’s pitching “Triple Crown,” most wins – 24, best earned run average - 2.40 and most strike outs – 250.

Not to mention taking the Cy Young Award and the league’s Most Valuable Player award.

Richard recalled when he first came to realize that his son Justin might have a special talent.

“We were playing catch in the front yard and a neighbor came over and said ‘That boy’s got a good arm,’” recalled Richard.

Another time it came home to him was when Richard and Justin were skipping stones across the lake at Deep Run Park in Henrico.

Justin, then only 10 years old, threw his rock all the way across the lake; Richard could only make it about half-way across, he said.

The Verlanders plan to publish a book about their experiences this year. Titled, “Rocks across the Pond, Lessons Learned. Stories Told,” it will be about “a lot more than baseball,” said Richard. “It will be about life.”

Dementi’s company will be the publisher, said Richard, who is retired from his job as an international representative of the Communications Workers of America. He knew Dementi when the both worked for Verizon, said Richard.

Richard described how he had gotten interested in talking with kids about his son’s career, using it to help them achieve.

“They don’t come with a manual,” said Richard about raising children, who recalled a comment his father, now 85 once made.

“Life is backward – by the time you figure it out it’s too late to do anything,” Richard recalls his father saying.

During his talk, Richard took pains to thank a number of people who had been instrumental in Justin’s development, starting with Justin’s second grade teacher Marion Cramer at Gayton Elementary School, who he called a “life changing person.”

He also paid tribute to Richmond Baseball Academy coach Bob Smith and Goochland High School’s Athletic Director Bryan Gordon.

“He knew he could always improve,” said Richard of how Gordon coached Justin.

Also at the meeting the chamber installed their new officers. Travis Chewining of Luck Stone is the new president. Josh Sojda of Weller and Associates Insurance and Edward R. Lawton Jr. of Davenport and Company are vice presidents and Lisa A. Parrish of Lisa A. Parrish & Associates is the new treasurer.