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BAILEY'S
TAKE ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the
Anchor Desk
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
By Brian
Bailey |
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Younger inherits
mantle of honor
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Timothy Younger |
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(ECU SID image) |
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By
Brian Bailey
©2012 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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It
is annually one of the biggest days of the East Carolina baseball
season. “Meet the Pirates” isn’t just about previewing the season,
getting some autographs and enjoying a nice lunch.
The
highlight of the event is the official announcement of which Pirate
baseball player will wear the number 23 jersey to honor the memory of
former ECU coach Keith LeClair.
LeClair guided the Pirates to a home series in Kinston with Tennessee in
the NCAA Super-Regionals in 2002. Shortly thereafter LeClair would step
down as the head coach at ECU and begin his four year battle with ALS.
I
will never forget LeClair’s words during the postgame after that second
loss to the Volunteers. Knowing that he was ill, he vowed that East
Carolina would someday make that next step. That next step would take
the program to Omaha and the College World Series.
“We
will make it to Omaha, I can guarantee you that,” said LeClair after
that loss to Tennessee in 2002.
I
remember it like it was yesterday.
East Carolina baseball has always been a tight knit group. I arrived in
Greenville at the start of Gary Overton’s career as the ECU coach, and I
have thoroughly enjoyed my “job” covering Pirate baseball every year.
When Billy Godwin took over as head coach, one of his first thoughts was
that it was very important to keep LeClair’s legacy alive within the
program.
Infielder Tim Younger will wear the 23 jersey this season. Younger is
the ninth Pirate to wear the number 23 to honor LeClair.
"This is an unbelievable honor and one that
I had never dreamed of when I first stepped on campus back in August of
2010," said Younger. "I've been fortunate to be around Austin (Homan),
Brian (Cavanaugh) and the coaching staff the last year and a half and
have seen first-hand what this award means to them and the Pirate
Nation. I can only hope to follow in the footsteps of such great mentors
and friends and look forward to carrying on Coach LeClair's legacy."
Austin Homan’s two year run ended with his graduation. Homan is now the
Director of Baseball Operations with the program. Homan and Younger
were roommates last season.
“There’s not a day that goes by that he (Younger) doesn’t lead by
example,” said Homan. “(He does it) on the field with his hustle, in the
weight room with his perseverance and in the locker room with his
relationships.”
Younger was the best candidate in a crowded field to wear 23 this
season.
"Timothy has only been in our program for a
year and a half and for him to receive this honor and all it stands for
says enough about his character," said Godwin at Saturday’s event. "He
has earned the respect of his teammates, has a tremendous work ethic and
pride, leads everyday by example and that embodies what wearing No. 23
is all about."
Younger is the seventh senior and the ninth
Pirate to wear the honorary No. 23 jersey. The list of honorees is a
“who’s who” of great players with outstanding work ethics and moral
fibers.
Ben Sanderson was the first to wear No. 23 in 2003. He was followed by
Jamie Paige in 2004, Brian Cavanaugh in 2005, Adam Witter in 2006, Chris
Powell in 2007, Drew Schieber in 2008, Brandon Henderson in 2009 and
Homan the last two seasons.
On a side note, I’d like to once again thank the members
of the Pitt-Greenville Hot Stove League. That organization named me as
the “Individual Contributor of the Year." It is one of four prestigious
awards that the Pitt-Greenville Hot Stove League presents each year.
I bring it up because I was presented the award in the
23rd year of the event. East Carolina’s Billy Godwin was the guest
speaker and it was a tremendous honor for me, especially knowing that
this was the 23rd year of the event. The number 23 means so much too so
many in and around East Carolina baseball.
I got the feeling that number 23 was looking down as
well! I know he’ll be watching when the Pirates open the season on
February 17th hosting the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
[View
East Carolina's 2012 baseball schedule from ECU Media Relations in a new
window.]
BB
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Brian Bailey Archives
02/01/2012 03:11 AM |
Replay
Monday night's BRIAN BAILEY SHOW,
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Carolina's longest running
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