Ed Wright|Hometownlife.com
Smiles came easily for Kelly Holmes May 4 during her brief visit to Canton High School's softball field, the place where in 1992 she struck out a still-standing national record 24 batters in a seven-inning game.
"Whenever I go by a softball field, I remember the smell of the freshly-cut grass, the dirt, everything," said Holmes, who was inducted into the Canton High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. "Being here brings back a lot of great memories."
In April 2020, Holmes, who starred as a pitcher for the University of Michigan's softball programfor four years after graduating from Canton in 1993, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an incurable form of brain cancer.
While Holmesaccepts the reality that she won't strike out her current foe, sheis determined to take it as deep into the count as possible.
"I feel great," said Holmes, looking fit enough to pitch at least a couple frames. "Last week I had an MRIand the doctors said they didn't thinkit could look any better than it did.
"When I Googled glioblastoma after the diagnosis, it was verydiscouraging. The statistics are pretty grim. But I'm going to fight it as long and hard as I can. Before my current health issues, I'd hear clichés like, 'Don't take anything for granted' and 'Don't sweat the small stuff'. NowI'm discovering how true those clichés really are."
Mound magic
Her success engine continued to churn at Michigan, where she finished out a sterling four-year varsity tenureby going 33-8 with a 1.16 earned run average her senior season.
The most intriguinggem of Holmes' magical mound résumé was chiseled in an April 1992 game against Walled Lake Western. With the Chiefs' starting catcher sidelined with an injury, Holmes struck out 24 Warriors — five in the first inning alone — overseven frames to lead Canton to a 7-2 victory.
The 29-year-old accomplishment returned to the spotlightlast month when University of North Texas pitcher Hope Trautwein struck out all 21 batters she faced in a seven-inning perfect game against Arkansas Pine Bluff— the first such feat in the history of Division 1 softball.
Holmes' 24-strikeout effort — amazing considering it only takes 21 outs to win a seven-inning game — is still the national record, according to the National Federation of State High School Association website. Tampa (Fla.) Cambridge Christian's Alea White flirted with the mark when on Feb. 12, 2015, she fanned 23Tampa Bayshore Christian hitters.
"As the game went on that day, I knew I had a lot of strikeouts, but I was so focused on the game, I wasn't counting," Holmes recounted, smiling. "I remember the Michigan State softball coach was there recruiting me.
"It was a tough assignment for our backup catcher because it was her first varsity start. A few Walled Lake Western players reached base on dropped third strikes and Western actually scored a couple of runs, but we ended up winning, which was the important thing. The same girl was my catcher our senior season and she was outstanding."
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Holmes' biggest fan (along with her mother, Karen) is her father Bob Holmes, who missed his daughter's record-breaking performance due to his duties as the varsity boys track-and-field coach at Livonia Franklin High School, where he also taught.
"When Kelly got home that day, I asked her how many strikeouts she had," Bob Holmes reflected. "When she told me, I said '24!? Wow!'"
A principal financial analyst within DTE's Regulatory Affairs Department, Holmes' life was staggered on April 25, 2020, when she suffered an out-of-the-blue seizure.
"I wasn't sure what was going on," she said. "Then I suffered a second seizure, so I went to the hospitalto get some tests."
Since her glioblastoma diagnosis, Holmes has endured brain surgery and cycles of radiation and chemotherapy. While her body has been pushedto the limit, her mind has remained upbeat, for the most part, she said.
"I have been blessed with the amount of support I've received from my family and friends," she said. "Last spring, during one of the worst periods of COVID, a group of my friends arranged for a drive-by at my house. I've been able to stay connected with former teammates— both at Canton and the University of Michigan— through social media."
Holmes said she still exercises regularly and has continued to work regular hours for DTE in a virtual setting.
"One of the few good things about the pandemic is that it has allowed me to work from home," she said, chuckling.
Holmes said her athletic background has helped her persevere through the trials and tribulations of battling an undefeated opponent.
"If there's one experience I can look back on as giving me self assurance that I can get through this it's probably my senior year at Michigan," she said. "I was one of two No. 1 pitchers, but the other No. 1 was injured early in the season so I pitched pretty much every game.
"We ended up making it to the College World Series and I was the winning pitcher in Michigan's first-ever World Series victory. Memories like that help give me strength."
Holmes said she enjoys passing on her knowledge of pitching to young players and she loves watching college softball on TV.
More than anything these days, she simply loves living, regardless of the obstacles that have been placed in her path.
"Again, it's a cliché, but I sincerely appreciate every day now," she said."Every day is a blessing."
Contact reporter Ed Wright at eawright@hometownlife.com or 517-375-1113.
