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by Chris Chase
Coastal Journal staff
Elford “Brud” Stover will be remembered by a lot of people for his athletic achievements. Considered one of the best athletes to ever come out of the city of Bath, he excelled at three sports and made his way into two separate Maine halls of fame.
Brud graduated from Morse High School in 1953 and went on to attend Bowdoin College. Throughout his attendance at both, Brud was a dominating force in three different sports, Basketball, Baseball and Football.
“He came by this athletic ability quite naturally,” said Bill Haggett, who has been friends with Brud ever since they were children living one house away from each other. “His father was a great sports player, and his uncle made it into Major League Baseball. Brud was born with those kinds of genes.”
A member of the Bowdoin athletics Hall of Honor, Brud was known to be a versatile athlete. The first to break 1,000 lifetime points at Bowdoin in basketball; quarterback, pass defender and punter in football; and a three position player in baseball with a lifetime average above .300; Brud made his mark on multiple fields.
But athletics was only a small part of what made Brud who he was.
The creator of the Blue and White Classic, a long-time employee of Bath Iron Works, a kindhearted gentleman and family man, more than anything Brud personified humble charity.
“Brud was just a guy that would talk with anyone and associate with anyone,” said Haggett. “He was such a nice and generous guy. I've never heard anyone that was critical of him.”
Brud's generosity certainly shows in the Blue and White Classic, a once a year golf tournament that raises money for scholarships at Morse High School. So far it has raised over $300,000 for scholarship funding, according to Marilyn Reed.
Reed worked with Brud on the tournament, and feels that without Brud, it never would have happened.
“It's because of Brud and his integrity,” said Reed. “Brud was a driving force for the Blue and White committee.”
Brud put hundreds of hours into working on the tournament, ensuring that it would benefit as many as possible.
“He would spend an hour or two every day on it all year long,” said Haggett.
Even with all his work, he refused to be recognized for it as anything special.
“He didn't want a lot of recognition,” said Reed. “We tried to put the donations in his name, and he didn't want anything to do with it.”
His charity wasn't limited to Morse High and Bowdoin either.
“If you were a friend of his or an acquaintance of someone in need,” said Haggett, “you could come to him and he'd be there.”
Haggett and Brud maintained their friendship throughout each of their lives, even through both of their services in the Army and Navy, respectably.
“There was never a break in the relationship,” said Haggett. “We continued to be friends for a lifetime. The city of Bath is filled with his friends.”
A cancer survivor, family man, and pillar of the community, Brud's passing will not leave him forgotten by any stretch of the imagination.
“He will be missed,” said Reed.
“I will remember him as a great friend, as will hundreds of people in Bath,” said Haggett.
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