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SB 1. x aiiiivi xi by Charlie Wallace Assistant Sports editor Baseball is Ray Tanner's life. He was born to coach. Ever since he was a little kid growing up in tiny Benson, N.C., Tanner has basked in the great American pastime. Growing up with his grandfather, Tanner treated baseball as one of the most important things in his life. "I can remember two things vividly as a child growing up. Every momi n it T oaii M K aq r f a nnV*Ar k i f f U a jug a iwu iu iicai iiic papci nit inu ground," Tanner recalled. "At a quarter of six or 5:30 a.m., I was sprinting out and checking the box scores. Then at night my grandfather and I would sit in the car because we couldn't get it good in the house listening to the games on the radio. It's [baseball] just a great game." Yes, Tanner was a baseball freak. Some things never change. Tanner is a true student of the game. Students of baseball, the ones who study the statistics and memorize the players' numbers and positions, grow up to be coaches. Tanner personifies a baseball coach. He is a strategist. 1 know a lot or people tnink tne game is boring at times, but to me, it's I like a game of chess," he said. "There's | all kinds of moves going on and I think 1 its just a wonderful game." Tanner played college baseball at North Carolina State University from 1977 to 1980. rus senior season, ne earnea ah Atlantic Coast Conference honors playing shortstop and third base. However, it was as a player that he realized he wanted to go into coaching. "I don't think that I was any different from the other kids in that I wanted to continue playing (after collegel, and that was certainly what I wanted to do," Tanner admitted. "I guess I was a junior in college | when I realized this might be the end af the road. Then I was just hoping that 1 had the opportunity to stay in the jame." WV\on Tonnor rrpo^iiQfnrl Kn ininn^ II I1VU lUlllitl 0IUUUUbVU) I1VJU1UVU [lis college coach, Sam Esposito^at N.C. ? State, where he was the third base 11 ?oach and recruiting coordinator. "It's very difficult to get into coach- ^ ng, it's hard to get jobs and I was for- j ornate that my timing was right," Tanner said. "I actually started recruiting the ^ summer of my senior year. Coach Esnosito needed an assistant, and I end- ^ ?d up working for him for seven years." When Tanner was 29, Esposito reared. However, N.C. State didn't look 'ar for a replacement. Tanner became one of the youngest lead baseball coaches in the nation. I've been very lucky, there's no ques;ion about it," Tanner admitted. "There's a lot of people that work lard and do every thing they can to (3ai x>ks to bui ' > ' ' V I ftfi ii IteiPiiliS tpl ' \ M \M M it I - ^ lit ? -r - ? < < ; ill 1 . fpBH9 I I HL IIdl IIIWIUUU9 ITItUCUI. dvance in coaching, but you have to "Ther lave some breaks along the way, and I've chang was fortunate that I had a break." Then ii Tanner went on to coach the Wolf- the head 1 iack for nine years with seven NCAA versity of! ournament appearances as well as be- He car ng named ACC coach of the year in followed t! 993. whnhadlp And while only coaching for nine tional proi easons, Tanner ranks second for most tional chan /ins in the school's history. Howev Tanner credits Esposito as his mod- program t 1 for coaching. losing seas "He's a former big league player, Tannei nd a lot of things that I do today are next year ecause I was a product of the envi- was the la onment," Tanner said. ner really ntcock Sports ?xtra Id on la! pi?rr' y . . h instructions during practice. Tanr e are very few things that H< ed over the years." record a June 1996, Tanner became SEC 1 baseball coach at the Uni- NCA/ South Carolina. Fla. I ne into a situation where he tional he leeendarv June Raines. Miam d the Gamecocks to past na- Caroli : i 11 x __ 1 /?i i i minence, including two na- loin c ipionship game appearances. Th er, Tanner was inheriting a he car hat was coming off its first squad son in 26 years. "I r turned things around the "It's a though, going 33-24. It differ* st year, however, that Tan- "I worked his magic. hungr st year's , 'y:yV ' liMipai P 1 Wmm 46? | ?t^S?| . M I flnH C- :/x * ; 4& '$%?} T ^ 1111 iimn^ 1111111'?>'% / ''' 1 ^Jil |f| | > i ' >. % ? .*: . \y?> f J $&&?& :': ? s Um IgKr^mTi ^iilifflfflF JBBhH lor InnUc to arid to la?t vaar'c curro i guided Carolina to a 44-18 [ and a second-place finish in the we East as well as a berth in the ea| i tournament in Coral Gables, or JSC defeated Florida Internaand Texas Tech before losing to pk i, Florida and North Carolina, thi ina finished the season ranked Ca >y Baseball America. Ta ie question now for Tanner is if thi i match the success of last year's wa don't know." Tanner admitted, wh different team, different people, ful >nt personalities. think this group is somewhat it > y Friday, February 5, 1999 success .... M 1^1 m.. n w m n n in mj .. kj .am . ; 4$: v i - : BPmM -J: V :.y'\ Scan Rayford Photo Editor ss with a talented recruiting class "There are enough people here that ;re part of that last season and are ger to get back to where they were take another step." Although Carolina lost some key tyers, the addition ofACC player of s year, Brian Roberts from North rolina, should be a significant help, nner, however, is optimistic about is upcoming season. "The ball has to bounce the right ly, and we have to be in a position lere things can happen, and hopely we can do that," he said. If there ever was a coach who could, vould be Tanner. The man was bom to coach.