A&T's Beatty knocks out inquiries
M r A JiT 1
i r-vut i su^nomore sen
sation baseball player CJ.
Beany is one of my favorite stu
dent athletes to talk to. That's
why it's nothing for me to talk
to him every season as if it's the
first time I've ever interviewed
him. '
I like to talk to C J . And, he
likes to be interviewed and
throst into the spotlight. Beatty
is ready to be a star, and I'm
sure it's just a matter of time
before we see him in the major
leagues doing his thing. He's
definitely been putting it down
at A&T the last two years. Last
year he was voted as the top
freshman male student-athlete
on the yard ? to go along with
freshman all-american honors.
On Monday, Beatty was voted
as the Aggie Male Athlete of the
Year.
I got the release from A&T
on Monday night, and instantly
called C J. to congratulate him.
What was funny was the fact he
told me that he was just about to
call me to tell me about it.
We're cool like that. Beatty
always comes up with interest
ing things to say.
I actually called him back
on Tuesday to talk again on the
record. He and I discussed Josh
Howard, Roger Clemens, Chris
Paul, Hank Aaron, his future
plans and a few other things.
Take a look at some of the
things Mr. Beatty and I talked
about earlier this week.
Antheny: What's going on,
CJ.?
C J.: Nothing much. I just
got out of my class. Now I am
ready for this game against
Wofford.
Anthony: Good luck with
them, and also in the MEAC
tournament next week.
C J.: I appreciate that.
Anthony: I also need to
congratulate "J^bu for being
voted as the top male athlete at
A&T- _ ,
C J.: (Laughs.) Thanks so
much, man. I couldn't have
done it without all of the prayer
from my family.
Anthony: Does this mean
you're the man on campus
now? ,
C J.: (Both laugh.) That s
what they say. But I don't think
it's like that. Plus, I'm not the
one for bragging. I'm proud to
have the award, though.
Anthony: And, you look
like you're doing your thing in
home runs again. Aren't you
leading the MEAC in homers .
CJ.: Right now I'm tied
Photo by Michael Simmons
Aggie sophomore CJ. Beatty was voted as the N.C. A&T Male Athlete of the Year on Monday.
with a guy from Del State.
Anthony: What was your
mindset heading into this sea
son after such success last year?
C J.: 1 worked harder in the
offseason. I wanted to become a
better hitter. 1 knew I was going
to come back and get pitched to
totally different. Nobody knew
who I was last year, and they
kept giving me easy pitches to
hk. I knew I had to work hard in
the off season, which has paid
off. I also worked on hitting the
ball the other way.
Anthony: Did you feel any
pressure to do well this season?
CJ.: At first I did. But I
knew that I just had to go out
there and give it my all, and die
rest would take care of itself. 1
started out with a bang. I had
two home runs in the first three
games. You tell me if that's
pressure.
Anthony: (Laughs.) Are
you giving the major leagues
some thoughts already?
CJ.: (Pause.) Yeah. It's
hard not tt> think about it. It's
always been a dream of mine. It
will be a dream until I get there.
I think about it all the time.
When the time is right then I'll
go
Anthony: What do you
need to improve upon before
you make that leap?
C J.: I need to get stronger,
both mentally and physically.
Know the game a lot better.
And, just go out there and play
harder. I always feel like I can
go harder than what I did.
Anthony: Tell me what the
toughest thing you had to deal
with while playing baseball as a
youth.
CJ.: The hardest thing for
making sure I get all my work
turned in correctly. This week
we're going through exams.
I'm just studying and trying to
keep these grades up. That's the
reason I'm here. So I can't lose
track of that.
Anthony: No doubt. What
have you been watching on TV,
man?
CJ.: Baseball. My TV
()ne-on-()ne
with Anthony Hill
me was being out there and not
seeing too many guys that
looked like you. Or, that looked
like me. You don't see many of
us out there. That's kind of dis
couraging for some kids when
most of their friends are going
the football and basketball
route. I had strong support from
my family. They kept me moti
vated. And, I just really enjoyed
it. I took over from there.
Anthony: Cool. What else
has been up with you?
C J.: Just school. I've been
does not change. But I have to
admit that I've been watching
my man Chris Paul. He's killing
in the playoffs. Every time he's
on I st6fc> what I'm doing to
watch.
Anthony: Speaking of the
NBA. What did you think about
what Josh said last week, man?
CJ.: Man, I don't know.
Josh is my boy. When I heard
tha^I was like, 'Come on Josh.'
But" I believe that he's going to
get it together because Josh is a
good man. You know that. I
Beatty
think he'll be all right after
some time passes by. I just want
to wish him the best of luck,
"and I hope he gets past this.
Anthony: No doubt. One
of your high school teammates,
Chris Jacobs, is working his
way up to the major league
right now. When was the last
time you talked with him?
* C J.: I sent him a text mes
sage the other week. He was
congratulating me for the way
I'm playing. He said that he's
seen my stats. I told him not to
look at me like that. Don't get it
twisted. I'm trying to get to .
where you're at. I might be a lit
tle older than him, but I look up
to him. He's doing real well.
He's hitting the ball really well.
He's 6-6, 250-plus, so he's not
getting too many good pitches.
Anthony: When was the
last time you talked to DJ,
Mitchell (Clemson baseball
standout that used to play for
North Forsyth)?
CJ.: I haven't talked to
him for a while. But I read that
DJ. is the man. That's what the
scouts are saying online. I heard
fie tore it up in the tape Cod
League. That's one of the most
prestigious leagues.
Anthony: Let's talk about
A&T for a minute. Are you all
going to win the MEAC title or
what?
CJ.: Yes. We've had our
ups and downs through the sea
son, but we're using those as
footsteps to the championship.
We shouldn't have lost some of
the games we've lost. We're
coming into the MEAC touma-*
ment very hungry, and ready to
play.
Anthony: I hear that.
Roger Clemens is being
dumped on pretty hard right
now.
C J. : I know.
Anthony: ^eah. You get
investigated for one thing and
they find everything else out.
What are your thoughts on the
news of him possibly having a
relationship with a teenager
some years ago?
C J.: I just don't understand
how they can do this to Roger
Clemens or Barry Bonds. As far
as steroids, some of the guys
probably took them. But you
can't dump on guys like this.
They're trying to burn him
hard And, that's just not right.
Let the personal stuff ride.
Anthony: 1 got you. I just
wish these gas prices would go
down.
CJ.: 1 know, right. I feel
you. But steroids and athletes
are the main stories on MSN
and CNN. Gas prices are $19 a
gallon. (Both laugh.) On the
steroid issue, I'm kind of with
both sides. If they did it they
should be punished. At the
same time, steroids doesn't do it
all. Those athletes are phenom
enal. If steroids did it then we'd
have a lot more Barry Bonds
and Roger Clemens in the
league. "
Anthony: That's a good
point. Who's getting your vote
for president?
CJ.: I'm going with
Barrack Obama. I have faith in
my man.
Anthony: When was the
last time that you talked to your
dad?
C J.: I talk to him every five
minutes. (Both laugh.) I'll prob
ably give him a call him after I
get finished talking to you.
Anthony: (Laughs.) I hear
that. Let's close out with free
association. Uh, Atlanta Braves.
CJ.: Oh, Chipper Jones. ?
Anthony: CJ. Beatty,
C J.: (Laughs.) Powerful.
Anthony: Home run.
C J.: That's me.
Anthony: Favorite baseball
player. - ?
CJ.: Hank Aaron.
Anthony: Winston-Salem
CJ.: The home of all
homes.
Anthony: North Carolina
A&T.
CJ.: Spectacular.
Anthony: Glenn High *
School.
C J.: The high school,
Anthony: Favorite food.
CJ.: Chinese.
Anthony: Two years from
now.
C J.: Somewhere in Florida
playing professional baseball.
Anthony: Good luck with
that, and everything else^
C J.: Thank you.
Local girls help lead AAU squad
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The High Point Lady Stars
9U Girls AAU squad played in
the state championship this past
weekend (April 25-27) in
Durham.
They played the Garner
Flames last Friday night defeat
ing them, 31-6. Last Saturday
the Lady Stars played the Lady
Royals and Surry Storm ?
defeating both teams. The Lady
Stars played the Burke Lady
Jammers and lost by 17points,
but they came back on Sunday
evening to defeat the
Greensboro Lady Gators by 23
points. The win over the Gators
gave the Lady Stars a third place
finish in the state standings for
9U squads, which makes the
Lady Stars third place champi
FTKXO by tun wusoo
The High Point Lady Stars
ons.
Five of the team standouts
are from Winston-Salem. The
local girls are Syleaa Johnson,
Makayla Wolfe, Brflna Carter,
Kristen Saunders and Tierra
Wilson. Some of the other tal
ented players are Kadajah
Walker, Jazlin Taylor, Brooke
Anders, Timber Tate, Destiny
Timberlake, Kayla Johnson and
Aiyonna Hill . The head coach of
the squad is Aaron Grier. He is
assisted by Scott Anders and
Tim Wilson. The team manager
is Cherie Jeffers.
Last weekend's performance
qualified them for the 9U
Nationals in Kenner, Louisiana.
First, the Lady Stars will play in
the YBOA State Championship
games in Mount Airy, May 9- 1 1
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