Nolan Ryan appearance highlights Bearkat baseball "Meet the Team" Dinner and Auction
2/3/2007 1:00:00 AM | Baseball
From The Huntsville Item
By Tom Waddill, Sports Editor
Boxes of popcorn and Cracker Jacks neatly placed on each tables, Nolan Ryan and Mickey Herskowitz speaking from the podium, longtime Bearkats Bud Haney and Don Sanders enjoying dinner in a room full of enthusiastic fans ? what a perfect way to throw out the first pitch on the 2007 baseball season.
On Saturday night at the Lowman Student Center Ballroom, a sold-out crowd greeted Mark Johnson, the Bearkats' new baseball coach, at his Meet the Players Night with Nolan Ryan.
Following a silent auction that had the high rollers whipping out their checkbooks, Johnson vigorously talked about his new team and the upcoming season, which starts at home Thursday evening. The coach had all 27 of his players introduce themselves to the audience. And one of the Bearkat seniors, shortstop Jeremy Holzbach, led the crowd in a fun sing-along, doing renditions of “God Bless America” and “Take Me Out To The Ballgame.”
SHSU President James Gaertner spoke kindly of Sanders, a Bearkat alumnus who recently donated $1 million to the university's baseball program, which in turn caused SHSU to rename its new baseball complex, Don Sanders Stadium.
Haney, a four-time All-American, recently made another generous donation. For his contributions, SHSU director of athletics Bobby Williams announced the naming of the lounge in the baseball/softball field house after Haney and his wife, Joan.
After a short speech from Herskowitz, Houston's legendary sports writer who has penned biographies on Mickey Mantle, Dan Rather, Bear Bryant and others, Johnson turned the stage over to a guy he said was “arguably the best pitcher to grace that little bump out there in the middle of the field.” To a standing ovation, baseball's strikeout king and the Hall of Fame pitcher who fired seven no-hitters made his way to the stage.
For more than 20 minutes Ryan talked about his storied 27-year professional career, telling stories from his days with the New York Mets, the California Angels, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. Described by Johnson as a “humble cowboy” and a “true American hero,” Ryan also spoke of his connections to SHSU.
“My two youngest sisters attended Sam Houston (and) my brother graduated from Sam Houston, so three of the six children in our family graduated from Sam Houston, so we spent a lot of time coming up this way to Huntsville during those days,” Ryan said.
Ryan talked about Sanders, recalling a wet and wintry day when they played together in a charity golf tournament.
Ryan said he'll never forget the muddy divot Sanders splatted on his head.
“It just stuck there,” Ryan said laughing.
Ryan quickly forgave his friend and eventually went into business with the former Bearkat.
“He's a true fan of baseball,” Ryan said of Sanders. “He and I have been partners on the Round Rock Express and Corpus Christi Hooks. We've really enjoyed that and have gotten a lot of satisfaction out of going to the ballpark and seeing that we provide ... affordable family entertainment.
“We really feel like we've accomplished that when we go to the ballpark and see all the kids there and how much they enjoy the ballpark and the game. We really feel good about it. It's one of the neater things that I've been involved in, and to able to do that with our children ? Don's boys are involved it, too ? so it truly has been, from the ownership on down to the game, there has been a family involvement. We feel very good about that.”
Ryan gave a brief report from his “elite” pitching camp that was expanded this year to include Jeff Bagwell, who worked with young hitters in the Astros' minor league system. Ryan and Bagwell held their camp last week at Minute Maid Park, a couple of days after Ryan was released from a hospital in Round Rock following some minor heart complications.
Speculating on what a future Hall of Fame pitcher might do this spring, Ryan said he watched Roger Clemens throw a little last week and couldn't help but think about another return to the mound in 2007.
“I marvel at Roger Clemens' ability to throw the ball where he wants it and have the body control that he does at his age,” Ryan said. “I think he's going to be pitching this year at 44, if he does pitch. He was at our elite camp the first two days and threw batting practice to our hitters. From my observation, I really think that if he wants to play again this year, probably in the shortened season that he did last year, that he probably will.
“And I feel like if the Astros are competitive and are in the race, I really think he'll stay and pitch with the Astros. If they're not, then I think Boston or the Yankees probably would have a shot at him, depending on how the pennant race is going. I really think that he'll be back, and I think he'll be a good move for our ballclub.”
After Ryan wrapped up his 15-minute talk, he fielded a few questions from the audience.
Someone asked about the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., while another questioned him about his relationship with Robin Ventura, the former big league infielder who one night made the mistake of charging the mound and challenging Ryan.
“I thank ESPN for that because I think they showed it 100 times in a 48-hour period,” Ryan joked. “When Robin came out to the mound I was just glad that he was the size he was because the two prior situations I had like that, one was Willie McCovey and the other one was Dave Winfield. I was relieved it was somebody small.”
Ryan predicted great things for the Bearkats' baseball program. He spoke highly of Johnson, who coached at Texas A&M for 21 years, and said SHSU can again have one of the state's top college baseball programs. It's just going to take a little time.
“I'm really impressed with the facilities that they have and what they've done here with all of their sports programs,” Ryan said. “They have a coach that's going to work really hard at bringing them to a level that they may never have been at before. With the amount of talent that's in the Houston area and East Texas, and with these facilities, I think there are going to be a lot of exciting years ahead in the near future with the baseball program.
“With Mark's leadership and these facilities, there are going to be a lot of kids come in here and play. I think you'll have an opportunity to see a lot of good baseball.”
