The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 13, 1984, Page Page 7, Image 8
TriE GAMECOCK SpOftS June 13, 1984 - J 3gej7
Four Gamec
By Tracy Mixson
Four USC athletes were selected in Major
League Baseball's free agent amateur draft
last week, including two rising Gamecock
seniors.
Junior Greg Morhardt led the list of
drafted Gamecocks, selected by the Minnesota
Twins in the second round.
Shortstop Kent Anderson, another junior,
was drafted in the fourth round by the
California Angels,- but was actually the
club's third choice because it had no third
round pick.
Gamecocks Chris Norman
and Jim St. Laurent were Sg||
also picked in the annual lff||||
selection. flHfliP
NORMAN, A senior pitcher,
was the Cleveland Indian's
14th round draft pick,
while outfielder St. Laurent
went in the 18th to the Texas HP eratib
Rangers.
USC head coach June Jim St. Laur
Raines said the selection of Drafted by T
four Carolina players was
about average for the annual draft.
"Sometimes we have six to eight players
drafted, and then other times we have only
nnp or iwo. so I'd sav it's about average for
us," he said.
The coach said the drafting of his two
most productive juniors will be a factor for
the Gamecock squad next season.
V
"IT WILL certainly affect us next year,"
he said. "They're our two best ballplayers,
our most valuable players.
''Tliair'ro tusrt ovrplIpnt hallnlnvptq anH
we're definitely going to miss them."
Morhardt signed with the Minnesota
organization following the draft announcement,
and was assigned to the Twins' AA
organization in Orlando, Fla.
'Take me out to
mcid unci
By Lisa Edmunds
On the long, hot, sultry nights of summer
fancy turns to...baseball.
Did she say baseball?
Yes, she did.
On summer nights in Columbia, what coi
than checking out a few innings of Americc
time?
*
NOW, GRANTED, your little brother's Li
is good for a few laughs, but how about son
? professional, baseball^
Unless you've been hibernating in the ba
past few summers, you already know Colun
league baseball team right here in the CapitJ
D..t u ..... v ^ ?i ru.. Dnni/
out nave yuu uccu iu v^apuai i aiN
Mets lately? If not, you're missing some of
action in town.
Of course, nobody gets excited about a lo
HHgy Jgw ^
mm
Ltfs ( Mttsl
David Williams cheers on the Columbia Mets a;
the field. As the official mascot of the Mets, Willi
umbia and (JSC baseball games.
ocks go to n
As a junior, he turned in his most produc
tive season, hitting .346, scoring 59 runs and
57 runs batted in. He also led the team with
17 home runs and set a school record with
571 putouts at first base.
IN THREE years with USC, Morhardt
compiled 53 career doubles, another team
record, as well as 25 homers and 121 RBI,
and averaged .331 at the plate.
Anderson, who has not yet signed with the
Angels, averaged .305 in his three seasons
with the Gamecocks, had 101 RBI and scored
113 runs.
T hie cnocAn lia Viit 1^/1 Af\
tl llio JVUJU11 llv 1111 . tu
RBI and 20 doubles, tying a
record set by catcher Rob
Lowery in 1981 and equaled
by Morhardt in 1982.
Anderson turned 39 double
plays at shortstop in 1984,
compiling a .940 fielding
NORMAN, WHO was
ent also a punter for USC's footexas
Rangers ball team? pitched one season
for the baseball team.
The 22-year old was also chosen in the National
Football League's annual draft earlier
this year, and has already signed with the
Denver Broncos.
Raines said he wasn't sure what decision
Norman would make about the athlete's
rl/YllKI A rald/ltlAH
UUUUlfOtltCUUU.
"He's committed to football and he's
already gone to mini-camp in the west," he
said. "But if football doesn't work out for
him, he's got a chance to sign a professional
baseball contract.
"HE'S GOT the best of both worlds facing
him. But I hope football will work out
because that's his first love."
A right-hander, Norman posted a 2-3
record with six saves in nine games for
the ballgame'
evening of e:
winning team right here in t<
, a young man's
AS OF Sunday night's
Tourists, the Mets were in st
sion of the South Atlantic ]
uld be more fun 'Sally League', by baseball <
i's favorite past- Last season they were 198
u;:>u i i ii ;nr
wiiii ouuuaj x* i i j iin
Mets posted a 37-22 record, |
ittle League team division leader Charleston,
le big league fun In fact, Columbia has the
the Mets and the Charleston
ckwoods for the steamy summer. And as they
ibia has a minor Game and mid-season point
al city. hotter.
to check out the FOR THE $2.00 student 1
me mosi exciung you can see some 01 me o<
evening that's both entertaii
ser, but there's a Reserved seats are only $3
ment bargain.
Die-hard baseball fans al
professional baseball team
have never had the pleasure
tell you what you're missing
First, this piece of advice I
eat dinner before you go to
i A THE SMELL of popcorn,
ball park hot dogs will entice
MkM the wagon for just one nigh
\ A hot dog never tastes an
^V. . k mass quantities of mu
aB^Lg00 The concession stand alsc
f* taste-tempting delicacies tc
, America's favorite pastimes
| To wash down the mass
^WMBMyjaW fare, there is nothing bette
Wednesday night is 2-for-l
to watch the action. Don't 1
beside you, feel free to joi
f visiting team are half the fi
^^mmm Another piece of advice f
like a Banchee Indian ever}
field. When it's a goner
Hm * Omtr fmm bagger, round-tripper, i.e. I
cond it leaves the bat.
5 the baRclub enters There is a sound, a feelu
iams attends all Col- after a few games that men
naior leaaues
*
gBp ; jpWjftrf y' y. ;
;.fJ;
^ V'^S6fc>-''x: '' j^HV:1^^-.^^'^-'
Pirt'T^rfii i if i jPLM li'iili\M i i imi *tbmaun -x; r vw^MiwmwBWi
-' -, yjf|
'""^j'| a
Hustling back
Junior Greg Morhardt quickly returns to first base
April 15. Morhardt and three other Gamecocks were se
Carolina. He worked 40 2/3 innings for a
3.32 earned run average.
Outfielder St. Laurent said he was happy
to be selected by Texas, and looks forward to
working with the Rangers.
"The first three days (after the draft) 1
didn't hear anything, so I didn't think I'd get
a chance to play," he said. "But things
worked out, and Fm glad.
"I HAD a pretty good season so I was
hoping to get drafted.
New t
Kcitement winnii
own with this season's Mets. By Tracy Mixs
2-1 victory over the Asheville _ After direcl
;cond place in the Southern Divi- vision II ch
League (affectionately called the athletic depar
lie-hards). ,en"'s team' .
3 Southern Division Champions. e new co?
ling victory over the Tourists, the after seaso
nnttinn nnlv 1 oampc hphinH . _ .
^w..e v....... x,..., - 6. ? <.lrs great ,
.... joining our si
second best record in the league; who announc,
i Royals are the hot teams of this jias a r
move towards the July 9 All-Star championship
, the action continues to get even
^ FORMERl
or $2.50 eeneral admission once. ^ . .
, . . . cawarusvmc,
sst baseball around and have an National Coll
riing and a change-of-pace. He said |ea
.50, and are still a good entertain- Division I US
, , , . o . . "I feel my
ready know the joys of having a wamed an
in town. But many other people and Sou(h c.
of checking out The Mets. Let me "South Ca
lm . . . .. o . commitment
for the novice baseball fan: do not
the game. DEMARS
, boiled peanuts and those famous 1979 and 198
; even the strictest dieter to fall off collegiate Tei
it. years on the
y better than when it is consumed A native o
stard while cheering on the home Mary's Univ
master's degi
sells nachos, ice cream and other
> add to the fun of another of DeMars c
; ? 'pigging out at the ball park'. Assumption
quantities of the usual ball park named head
:r than an ice cold brew or cola. Bobby Fos
drink night at Capitol City Park. revenue spor
ir hot dog and drink and you're set NCAA tennii
ko tU?i DacuKall fanahVc ar#? not fl
*"' ? "AFTER
'kill the ump' begins in the section country, it is
n in. Heckling the ump and the p
m of minor league baseball. EdwardsvMe
or the novice fan ? do not scream H.
r time a Met hits a ball to the out- ,s caj*!?
- that's baseball lingo for a four- years;,an*f?
home run - you'll know it the sefVMarc
1Q
ig or aura that you come to know ~
ms the ball is long gone. * ..PPa
See Mete," page 8 M
in draft j
k ' ISfflBfiBWfl
I Jfll - v.
Ha H
~ 'v- JtE^F " ^W.""' \ * u
"""-" ~ ~r~-v
^391
** % ^^^---yv'--1 -frv^S
''- '^l \ 1 "~ * '/-- . v ? *^^-rr. _/_-v''-o.*^r^SV]--'; -1
during a pickoff play in a game against Louisville
lected in the major league's annual draft last week.
St. Laurent led USC at the plate this
season, hitting .359. Coming from Manatee
Junior College in 1982, he averaged .368 in
two seasons with the Gamecocks.
The athlete signed with the Ranger's
single-A farm club in Tracy, Wa., and will
play rightfield for the team.
"AVe had a lot of talent (at USC) this
season, and hopefully the team can improve
even more next year with some good prospects
coming in."
.
ennis coach brings
rig record to USC
ton
ling his squad to seven consecutive national
ampionships, Kent DeMars joined the USC
tment Monday as head coach of the men's
ich succeeds Ron Smarr, who resigned May 8
ns at USC.
:hat a coach of the caliber of Kent DeMars is
taff," USC athletic director Bob Marcum,
ed DeMar's appointment, said.
lational reputation and has developed NCAA
i teams."
,Y THE tennis coach at Southern Illinois- I
DeMars led the Cougars to seven consecutive
egiate Athletic Association Division 11 titles,
ving a successful Division 11 program to join
?C was a great move.
goals and ambitions at SIU were met and I
portunity to raise my goals to a higher level
irolina was the place to do it.
rolina has all the ingredients and there is a
to tennis there."
WAS named Divisio" II Coach of the Year in
2, is chairman for men's tennis of the lnternnis
Coaches Association and has served six
NCAA Rules Committee.
f East St. Louis, 111., he graduated from St.
ersity in San Antonio, Tex., and earned a
ee from Miami of Ohio.
oached at Texas Military Academy ana
High School, his alma mater, before being
coach at SIU-Edwardsville in 1973.
iter, USC assistant athletic director for nonts,
said he met DeMars during the recent
s tournament at Athens, Ga.
TALKING to tennis people throughout the
clear to me that Kent is one of the very top
rofession."
40, posted a 218-71 record at S1U,
and 275-75 overall.
have been ranked in the top 20 the past seven
r seven ot the past eignt one ot ms players nas
ision II individual crown and four have been
ion I All-America.
expected to move to USC in approximately six
desman of the USC sports information departonday.