Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Jan. 10, 2008, edition 1 / Page 17
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Clemson's Hairston raps about college life Clemson redshirt freshman lineman Chris Hairston is already doing big things at Clem?pR-.-~-. - - ? Hie was named the most improved lineman during spring practices, while back ing up AU-American Barry Richardson. I didn't know that Hairston was the first Winston-Salem guy to sign with Clemson since Perry Tuttle (1978). I also didn't know that Hairston was going to have such an early impact at Clemsbn. I remember when Hairston was a slim, tall kid trying to play basketball at Carl Russell. 1 also remember Hairston trying to retire from football before his junior year. Now, I am amazed when I watch big Hairston do his thing on the football field for Clemson. say it's all about the speed It's really noiabeut the speed. They Mtharder. They're a lit tle tougher. Anthony: No doubt. Do you remember the time you went into coach Wilk.es' office and told him that you wanted to quit? Chris: Yeah. Anthony: He told you to just go put on your pads and get ready for practice . Do you remember that? Chris: Yeah, I remember all that. I thought I was done with football. I was in the 11th grade. I didn't think that football was for me. I'm glad coach told me to get out of his office on that day. (Both laugh.) That was a crazy time. I don't know what I was thinking about. Anthony: I still remem ber you playing basketball at One-on-One with Anthony Hill I was literally locked to his play during the first cou ple of plays of the Chick-Fil A Bowl last week. He and I talked about the bowl loss to Auburn, next season's opener against Alabama and college life. We also discussed what coach Wilkes told him after he tried to quit the team before one practice. Take a look at what else big Chris and I talked about on Monday evening. Anthony: What's going on big Chris? Chris: Nothing much. Nothing much. Anthony: Hey, I saw you doing your thing last week. Kind of tell me how it felt to play in your first bowl game. Chris: It was big, espe cially playing in the Georgia Dome. That was something special. Anthony: Were you a little nervous before the game? Chris: No, not really. I don't really get butterflies before playing football. It's the same football I've been playing since high school. Anthony: I hear that. You guys played a tough game in the bowl! I hated that you all lost to Auburn. Chris: Yeah. (Laughs.) I know you're from Alabama. Anthony: No doubt. Did you notice the difference between playing an ACC team and one from the SEC? Chris: I mean, I did. They Carl Russell. Do you remem ber those days? Chris: Yeah, I remember those days. I wish 1 could go back to those days sometimes. Anthony: Now that you've got a year under your belt, have you started thinking about the next level? Chris:,- I mean, I think about it. But I don't get caught up in it. If it happens, it happens. If it don't, then it don't. Just gonna let it be. Anthony: How are the grades? Chris: My grades are looking pretty good. It's a lit tle harder than high schooK but I'm getting the job done. My major is business manage ment, with a minor in educa tion. If I don't play football then I'd love to coach. I would like to coach at Carver. That would be my dream job. Anthony: Let me ask you something else real quick. Do you feel like your old high school has been getting a bad rap? ? Chris: Oh yeah. Carver is a great school. You have to make it what you get out of it. Maybe all the kids aren't motivated to learn. But Carver has some good teachers. And, there are some good students there. I guess we get the bad rap because we're the black school, I guess: I thought Carver was a great school. Anthony: OJC. Do you have a favorite /feacher from high school? / Chris: I/used to love to Photo by Mark Crammer Clemson offensive lineman Chris Hairston (No. 61) looks for a down-field block during a James Davis run earlier this season. hear coach (Danny) Piggott talk. Math was my favorite subject too. Anthony: OK. Which team has been the toughest squad you've faced in col lege? Chris: Probably Auburn. The toughest player was that defensive end at Wake, Jeremy Thompson. He's pret ty good. Anthony: Who's the best athletes you remember from Carver? Chris: Probably Eric Brown and Ricky Johnson. I think about stuff they used to do. They're better than some of the guys we have at Clemson. They're just not big enough. # Anthony: Speaking of those two. What were your thoughts when ^you heard about the trouble ?{hey were in? Chris: I didn't really know what to think about it. I hate it for them. I hope they Hairston can get* through that. Anthony: "No doubt. (Smiles.) You guys start the season against those Crimson Tide (in the Georgia Dome) next year. Chris: Yeah, I saw that on the internet. Anthony: Get ready for an early L (loss). Chris: Yeah, right. You really think we're about to lose to Alabama? Ya'll lost to Louisiana-Monroe last year. * Anthony: It's like that, huh? Chris: It's got to be like that. - Anthony: (Smiles.) OK. Who's going to win the Super Bowl? Chris: I hope the Patriots win it. This is a perfect sea son, and you don't get to see that much. Anthony: I'cl like to see Jacksonville beat them this week. I think they might just do it too. (Pause) I always argue with guys about rival ries. How big is the Clemson and South Carolina rivalry with the players? Chris: A lot of the players hang out with each other. It's more of a rivalry for the fans. It's n6t like the Alabama and Auburn rivalry. Ya'll act like ya'll got to shut the state down or something. Preachers', can't preach on that day. Couples can't get married. It's crazy with that rivalry. Anthony: I'm glad you recognize. (Smiles.) Let's conclude with free associa tion. Chris: OK. Anthony: Uh, Queen (Angela Lambson, who's Chris' aunt and local coach). Chris: That lady is crazy. I love her. I need to go see her. Anthony: Winston Salem . Chris: I love the city. Tre 4. It's home. Anthony: Aaron Bailey, (former Carl Russell Center director) Chris: Good guy. He made the rec. available to us. Anthony: Coach Wilkes. Chris: Inspiration. He kept me going through foot ball. Anthony: Coach Bowden. Chris: Good coach. Anthony: Chris Hairston. Chris: I don't know. . Anthony: (Smiles.) We'll leave it at that. HOF from page B1 s the players on the teajw: He owned the team for 58 years and was the foundation for the teams existence; During his playing daysfspent a season in the N^w^York Giants farm sys telfi. When Hank Aaron played his first professional baseball game with the Indianapolis Clowns r in Winston-Salem, Petree played first base for the opposing team. Jim Longborg played for the 1964 Winston-Salem Red Sox and was 6-2 during his stint with a 3.20 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 59 innings while pitching in eight games and helped lead the team to the 1964 Carolina League champi onship. Longborg compiled a 157-137 record with a 3.86 ERA over a 15 year Major League career with the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies and won the 1967 American League Cy Young Award with a 22-9 record and a 3.16 ERA and 246 strikeouts in 39 starts for Boston. He wias also named to the all-star team. He is cur rently a, dentist in Massachusetts. Eddie Yuhas went 10-12 with a 3.89 ERA with Winston Salem in 1947. After a few more years in the minor leagues, he enjoyed a success ful season in the major leagues with St. Louis going 12-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 195. His 12 wins to only two losses gave him the 0 best winning percentage (.857) in baseball that season. Yuhas died in Winston-Salem in 1986. Hot Stove Banquet activi ties will also include the Bill Slack Community Service Award, the awarding of the inaugural Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Baseball Scholarship and autograph , tables with baseball players from the past and present. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the silent auction running from 6 until 7:30 p.m., at which time the main program will com mence. Tickets for this special event pre open to the public and can be purchased by call ing the Warthogs office at 336 759-2233. Individual seats are only $35 and a table of eight is $275. Granite Mortgage, Inc. Financing The American Drtam
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