Troy University Athletics
Thanks for the Memories
5/27/2009 6:45:00 PM | Baseball
“You gotta be a man to play baseball for a living, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you, too.” ~ Roy Campanella
It is hard to believe that for nine of us seniors our careers as Trojans is over. It is even harder to believe that our baseball careers are over. For most of us, our careers started in the backyard playing catch with our dads or brothers, or possibly even our moms. Those 20 years as a baseball player have passed way too fast.
From the time of the first swing in tee-ball until the last swing as a Division I baseball player, all the practices, meetings and games are all just memories now. Some of those memories are of good times, such as winning games and championships. Others are of bad times, such as losses and running sessions. But, one thing is for sure, we wouldn't trade anything in the world for all of the memories we have to look back on for an entire lifetime.
The memories we have all made include dozens of teammates from high school, junior college and Troy. Those teammates have been with us through thick and thin. Some of our teammates we may never talk to again, but a few of them will become some of the best friends we ever find in life.
I count myself lucky to have made such friends in my years at Troy.
Each player has different memories that mean more to him than the next guy. For some of the guys those memories include hits, home runs and diving plays. For others, those memories include shutouts, strikeouts and double plays. We'll all remember the road trips and bus rides that sometimes seemed endless.
For me, one of my favorite memories is knowing I had 35 other guys (friends) I could always trust and count on.
The road leading each of us to Division I baseball at Troy was influenced by many people and things along the way. There were many coaches from tee-ball through college who helped make us the players we became.
Our parents probably had the biggest influence on most of us as players. The parents are the ones who seem to go unnoticed because all the spot light is put on the players, but they are the ones who helped teach us the love of the game, and they were the ones who were always there to pick us up and encourage us when it seemed like everyone else had given up on us.
For me, without my parents I don't think I would have ever made it as far as I did.
A baseball field is just a field with grass, dirt and bases, but when you put nine guys on that field it becomes a place filled with energy, desire and memories ? most importantly memories. In my 23 years, baseball has had a place in some of my best and fondest memories, and I hope baseball continues to be a place where good memories can be made for the players and families who are still part of Trojan baseball.
I count myself lucky to be part of the Troy Trojan baseball family. It was a great program, with great coaches and players, to be a part of. Everyone who helps make Trojan baseball a success has our greatest respect and gratitude.
Like I said earlier, the memories each of us have made during our careers as baseball players will be with us forever. No one can ever take those away. I will never forget my teammates who I experienced those memories with and, most of all, I will never forget Troy Trojan baseball!
Thank You Baseball for the MEMORIES and Thank You Troy for the MEMORIES!
“You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time.” ~ Jim Bouton
Trevor Tyre
