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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, July 14, 2008
By Brian Bailey |
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Godwin active on
multiple fronts
By
Brian Bailey
©2009 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
East Carolina baseball
coach Billy Godwin has
been a busy camper of
late, literally.
East Carolina’s baseball
camps have long been a
staple of summer. Godwin
and his staff run the
camps. With his top
assistant headed to
Auburn, the work has
mounted up for the rest
of the coaches.
Help, though, is on the
way.
Godwin is set to
announce Link Jarrett’s
replacement as early as
Tuesday afternoon. I
believe Pirate fans will
be extremely pleased
with the choice. Coach
Godwin didn’t want to
comment further until
all of the paperwork is
complete.
Godwin has also had his
eye on his 2009
recruiting class.
Nothing has changed of
late, with Mike Trout
and Walker Gourley
signing their
professional contracts.
Godwin says each of the
unsigned draftees has a
certain “number” in mind
as far making the jump
to the pros goes.
Nick McBride was
selected in the 5th
round by the Texas
Rangers. Godwin says the
last time he spoke to
McBride that he and the
Rangers weren’t close in
negotiations.
John Wooten was picked
by the Padres in the
20th round. Wooten may
be the best hitter in
the state and his Dad
was a Pirate. Wooten
stopped by the Pirate
baseball offices on
Monday. Godwin says he’s
“cautiously optimistic”
that Wooten will spend
some time at Clark-LeClair
Stadium.
Four recruits are
working out and
attending summer school.
Those four are Joseph
Hughes, Chris Gosik,
Tyler Joyner and Tanner
Merritt.
Chris Heston is the lone
Pirate, so far, who
could have returned who
has already signed.
Beach time
Like so many in eastern
North Carolina, I had a
chance to vacation for a
bit at the beach last
week.
My travels sent me to a
wonderful little spot
down at Topsail Beach.
One sign said it was
Mayberry in the sand. It
was absolutely amazing,
a true throwback to the
‘60’s and ‘70’s. There
was a post office, a
couple of restaurants, a
putt-putt course, a
skating rink and miles
and miles of beautiful
beaches.
I ran into a guy with
many ties to eastern
North Carolina that
week. Former Campbell
coach Billy Lee calls
Topsail home. Lee was an
assistant at East
Carolina for a couple of
years starting in 1976
and earned an ECU Master
of Arts in Education
degree along the way.
Lee coached in our state
for over three decades.
He spent 18 seasons at
Campbell, and battled
East Carolina numerous
times through the years.
Lee was very
complimentary of the
Pirates and the ECU fan
base. He said he always
enjoyed playing in
Greenville.
The coach spent the past
three seasons at St.
Andrews before retiring
last year. Now, he
spends his free time at
the beach. He’s also
busy with public
speaking and plans on
stringing this year for
several college
basketball broadcasts.
Coach Lee has his own
web site at
www.billylee.org.
He’s known as the modern
day Bones McKinney. He’s
always had a quick wit
and a smile.
“I’m a fan of Coach Mac
(McCarthy),” said Lee.
“I know it’s a tough job
there but he’s certainly
done it before.”
BB
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07/14/2009 02:06:54 AM |
