the Seahawk | NEWS | February 3, 2005
from MILLER page 1
wasn’t Miller’s first connection with UNCW.
In 1960 the Woodruff, S.C. native left the cot-
ton-mill town and came here to college on a
baseball scholarship, playing second base.
“It was Wilmington Junior College then
and it was my opportunity of a lifetime,”
Miller said. “I probably wouldn’t have gone to
college if I didn’t have that scholarship.”
He reluctantly provides the details of his
life. “We didn’t have much money,” he recalls.
“My father woriced in the cotton mill all his
life.” Miller was the fourth of five children.
“My father started there at 14 and retired at
age 70. In fact, at times both my parents
worked in the mill.”
So, with his scholarship and his base
ball glove in hand, he came to Wilmington
with the goal of an education and the dream
of one day playing professional baseball,
ideally for his favorite team: the Boston Red
Sox. “I grew up knowing I wanted to play
baseball,” Miller said.
In his two college years here. Miller helped
put Wilmington on the- map. He ignited
the college team’s run to the 1961 National
Junior College Baseball Championship. And
he collected first-team All-American honors.
Leaving Wilmington, he went to study and
play baseball f()r Wake Forest, where he
helped propel the team to the Atlantic Coast
Conference title. There he again earned All-
American honors.
Miller is one of only 24 athletes or coaches
in the UNCW Athletic Hall of Fame, where he
was inducted in 1999.
When he graduated from Wake Forest with
his degree in physical education he played
professional baseball. “I played for the New
York Mets,” he said. He played second base
for the Mets farm club in Williamsport, PA.
for a year.
“But I have no regrets,” Miller said. I
ended up here teaching and coaching. And if
I couldn’t play baseball, I sure could be happy
coaching.”
Among his positions at UNCW, he has been
the associate vice-chancellor for Academic
te [o©i[n]
coordi
nator for
PED 101.
When told
there was
a story
being
written
about
Miller,
Honeycutt
said. “He’s
a good
one...
especially
because
01010
Dan Hacker t THE SEAHAWK
Affairs, the associate dean of the College
of Arts and Sciences, and chairman of the
Physical Education and Recreation depart
ment for eight years.
While he admits he’s going to miss the
students, it is the faculty and staff he will
miss the most. “I’ve taught for over 30 years
with some of these people.. .They are my
friends...” he said, his voice trailing off “This
is a top-of-the line faculty.”
One friend of 35 years is Larry Honeycutt,
he’s one David Miller stands on the grounds of a campus that he has watched grow
of the few from infancy. As the longest standing faculty member currently employed
people on by the university, he can remember a time when the campus consisted of
this cam- only five buildings.
older
pus
than me.”
Although Honeycutt is only a couple years
younger than Miller, he obviously likes jok
ing about it. “Seriously though, he actually
was my teacher my senior year at UNCW,”
Honeycutt said. “He was a tough teacher, fair
but hard.”
Miller said that’s a fair comment on the
four-decade teaching career he has enjoyed
and which has gone by quickly.
m WWN
ore par
questions at Wrightsville
Ben Wimmer
Staff Writer
A new parking proposal currently under
consideration at Wrightsville Beach could put
anoticable cramp in commuter's wallets.
This month Lanier Parking Systems— the
company that handles meters and other park
ing issues for Wrightsvillt Beach-came up
with a new proposal which should be decided
on before the next busy parking season which
begins March 1,2005.
The new proposal could add several new
parking meters, raise the price of meters from
$1.25 to $1.50, raise all-day parking from $8
to $10, and enforce the meters until as late as
llp.m.
Lt. Hank Narramore of the Wrightsville
Beach Police Department reminds citizens
that the increase is not guaranteed. “This is
actually the third or fourth year that this pro
posal has come up and the recommendations
haven t really changed.” says Narramore.
Along with many motorists, a local busi
ness group, the Wrightsville Beach Merchants
Association, opposes the increase in park
ing and hours as well. The increase would
however, help fund the Wrightsville Beach
Parks and Recreation department, and help
provide lifeguards and police officers for
the busy summer months. The Wrightsville
Beach Board of Aldermen is expected to vote
on the proposal sometime in February.
from HISTORY page 1
On the Feb. 16, a soul food dinner will be
prepared in Wagoner Hall displaying authen
tic African-American dishes.
“It is important for people to understand
their history and where we come from,” said
Christy Settle, a graduate of UNC-Chapel
Hill.
The month of February was chosen as
Black History month because the birthdays
of the abolitionist Frederick Douglass and
the celebrated poet Langston Hughes fall
during this month. It’s also the month the
NAACP was founded.
Carter G. Woodson believed that study
ing Afiican-American history is beneficial
to counter white racial prejudice and educate
the American public on a much-needed piece
of lost history. Often referred to as “the father
of Negro history,” Woodson spearheaded the
movement to establish a national celebration
of black heritage.
There are several other eyents going
on around the Wilmington area to honor
America’s historical past in the coming
month that host activities ranging from guest
speakers to community dinners. Tliose inter
ested should contact the local chapter of the
NAACP at (910) 762-5990.
CM K