Wesleyan baseball
Wallows in the attitude doldrums
The Wesleyan baseball team
had another bad season this
year. It was one of their worst
records ever in Dixie Confer
ence play. A 2-10 mark in the
conference and a dismal 6-18
record over all made the
Bishop’s season more disap
pointing than most. There were
high hopes for this year’s team,
but these hopes soon faded
away for a number of reasons.
At the beginning of the year,
the team was plagued with
several injuries. David Read,
second baseman, was lost for
most of the season when he had
to have an operation for
appendicitis. Right fielder Dave
Eubanks was injured when he
jammed his finger while diving
back to second base on a
pick-off attempt. An operation
was needed, and Dave was out
for about 3 weeks. Center
fielder Dana Wade dislocated
his shoulder whUe making a
diving catch for a fly ball; he too
had an operation and was
ultimately lost for the season.
Even though first baseman Joe
Shearin played, he had a wrist
injury which bothered him for
most of the season. Freshman
John Faddis could not play
during some games because of a
bothersome jammed thumb.
These injuries, however, did
not stop the team from putting
out an effort to win baseball
games.
Nonetheless, playing bad
baseball will destroy any high ,
hopes or good intentions. For
example, it seemed that many
times Wesleyan pitchers had
forgotten where the strike zone
was located and there were
some games when Wesleyan
made more errors than hits.
The team also had a bad habit
of not getting hits when
someone was on base or of
hitting the ball hard and clean
but right into the waiting glove
of the opposition. Also Bishop
games attract very few fans,
and this is to be expected for a
losing team, but fans did not
even come to the first games of
the season to determine if the
team was worth supporting.
Any sports team needs fan
support.
Wesleyan’s baseball team
could offer more excuses, but
no excuse can cover up or gloss
over the players’ attitudes. The
attitude of the team as a whole
was disgraceful and to call
these individuals a team is to
discard the definition of the
word. Players mentally harass
ed each other and there were
individuals who pouted and
caused ill-feelings because they
were not getting much playing
time. Wesleyan’s baseball ef
forts were mainly hampered by
a poor attitude problem.
Nonetheless, this situation
could change for next year. The
entire team will return except
for one hard-throwing pitcher
and with this past year as
experience, the 1978 season
could be an improvement. Also
they could turn themselves
around with a good recruiting
year for positions as pitcher,
catcher and utility infielder.
The coaches will have to
improve their methodology and
especially regain control and
exert the discipline that is
necessary to insure that a
g^oup of individuals wUl func
tion cohesively. If the Wesleyan
players would play baseball
instead of other games on the
field and change their individu
al attitude into a team attitude,
the baseball team might be
come a winner.
John Faddis
VOLUME XVII, NUMBER 6
N. C. WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT, N. C.
MONDAY, MAY 16, 1977
Billy Medlln on the SGA
Admissions outlook
Billy Medlin, this years’ SGA
President, and a graduating
senior took time out from his
demanding schedule to share a
few thoughts with me about his
experiences during his tenure.
As we are all aware, Billy has
been one of the most outstand
ing and effective Presidents in
many years, and it is hoped that
the spirit with which he led the
student body will continue to be
felt and be expanded in the
future.
Decree: What inspired you to
run for President?
Billy: I decided to stop
bitching about things as they
were and make a constructive
effort to change them. The
campus needed a little'excite
ment, and I figured I could win
as easUy as anyone else.
Decree: What difficulties did
you encounter as you first
entered office?
Billy: The SGA was a dead
institution with departments
that were no longer in
operation. I found that files
were dated back to 1960.
Decree: What talents do you
have that are vital to being an
effective President?
Billy; I think my organiza
tional abilities helped a lot. I
was able to get people to work
together.
Decree; What personal cha
racteristics were allowed to
expand during your tenure?
Billy; The job has served to
make me stronger, more
assertive.
Decree; What do you think
was the most important contri
bution you made to Wesleyans’
student body?
Billy; I was accessible.
Everyone knew who I was, and
knew who to come to for
problems. I think that, insofar
as activities go, the ARS
concert was a success in terms
of getting everybody involved
in something exciting. I must
say, however, that the music
itself wasn’t so hot. “So Into
You” sounded better on the
radio. The most important
thing is that it got everybody
together for a night.
Decree; Let me ask your
personal evaluation of your
Convocation address?
Billy: The convocation was a
satirical view of Wesleyan. I
wanted it to be a positive
presentation, though, and I
think it was.
Decree: What did you most
dislike about the Presidency?
Billy; Lack of real student
help. It was a real pain
sometimes trying to get people
motivated and active.
Decree: How do you think
you changed Wesleyans’ life
style:
Billy: Well, as an example,
there were twenty students
directly involved in student
government, rather than just a
handful, as in the past. I think,
perhaps, that I helped to
initiate more student involve
ment.
Decree; How do you rate the
potential of next years SGA?
Billy: I believe they are very
competent. They will need help
from the students, in the form
of trust and support. I would
like to see a Supreme Court,
and a Finance Committee.
Decree; What was fun for
you as President?
Billy; Going to Faculty
meetings. Watching professors
antics as they tried to settle
things civilly, eventually. I was
able to see them as real people.
Decree; Any last thoughts
before we sign off?
Billy; Well, I’ve really enjoy
ed these four years, especially
this last one. I hope it’s a real
smash for students next year.
Euphoria, total euphoria.
Decree: With more like you,
we’ll see.
Jan WSson
Next year, North Carolina
Wesleyan College is expecting
one of the largest enrollments
the school has had in. recent
years. Our Admissions Office
has done a fine job recruiting
new students for next year.
Last year at this time, the
Admissions Office had received
181 applications; as of May 1
this year, they have an
astounding 254. Also at this
time last year, 111 students
had been accepted; already this
year, 175 students are thinking
of becoming members of Wes
leyan’s Class of 1981. Enroll
ment for non-resident students
is also slightly up. Last year
there were 40 non-resident
students accepted; this year it
is already 46, with more
applications to come.
Among the applicants are
several very good soccer and
baseball players. There will
also be a number of individuals
who were academically out
standing in high school and
have been offered academic
scholarships.
Mike Haskins
I
From left to right; 1st row—Coach Jean Edge, Faye Pridgen, Frances Harrison, Cathy Lynch, Kyle
Baldwin, Denise Castillo; 2nd row—Val Holland, Martha Peel, Madeline Alston, Nona Cook, Mary
Hathaway, Carleen Goodwin, 3rd row—Barbara Slater, Cindy Alston, Martha Edwards, Bev Stoner,
Daphne Branch, Elenor Perry. Not pictured is Ellen Hessey. [Jan Wilson Photo.}