The `B' Line . . . July 25, 2002
7/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 26, 2002
This is another "B" Line column, a periodic collection of news items of particular interest to members of the Baylor "B" Association. Contribute news about you or your teammates via e-mail to Dutch Schroeder (Dutch_Schroeder@baylor.edu), Reba Cooper (Reba_Cooper@baylor.edu), Kyle Penney,(Kyle_Penney@baylor.edu) or Jack Loftis (Jack.Loftis@chron.com). The mailing address is Baylor "B" Association, P. O. Box 8120, Waco, TX 76714
TWO RIGHTS, NO WRONGS - Two former Baylor pitchers have excellent records as the 2002 Major League Baseball season reaches its half-way point. As of July 25, Jason Jennings of the Colorado Rockies had a 10-5 record and Kip Wells of the Pittsburgh Pirates was 10-7. Both were among six young righthanded pitchers touted in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated. About Jennings, a major league scout told SI: "He's not the kind of guy who blows you away. I keep hearing about his mound maturity. He's 23 going on 33. He knows how to pace himself, how to handle the pressure." The same scout on Wells: "Somebody with the White Sox (who traded Wells last December) is going to lose his job, because this kid can really pitch. He can command three pitches and has a sneaky fastball that catches a lot of hitters off guard." . . . The same article quoted Jennings as saying: "The key is this: Don't get rattled. Forget that you're facing Mike Piazza or Mo Vaughn. Once you aren't intimidated by pitching in a big stadium against the best athletes in the world, you'll be just fine." Wells' take on his success: "I have a tendency to stay compact on the mound, but at the last second I want to put a little extra on my pitches. You have to hone your skills to the point where you can actually go out there, relax and do it." . . .
HONOR FOR THE DOC - Dr. Sandy Bahm II, who was a student trainer for Baylor football and basketball teams in the early 1960s, has been made an honorary member of the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association (SWATA). After his medical studies were over, Bahm settled in Greenville, TX, where he practiced medicine for almost 30 years. During that period he served for many years as team physician for Texas A&M University at Commerce. It was for this service that he was recognized by SWATA. Bahm has recently moved his practice to Columbus, TX., where he also sees patients from Weimer, La Grange and Schulenburg. Incidentally, Skip Cox, another former BU trainer, became an honorary SWATA member a decade or so ago . . . Former BU quarterback Ken Stockdale attended a recent breakfast meeting of former Baylor football players who live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He brought along copies of "The Classic 60's," his book about the fun, but hectic days of the old Southwest Conference. In the book, of course, is the chapter about Stockdale's fabulous game against Texas A&M in 1965. Starting for the first time, the sophomore led the Bears to a 31-0 victory over the Aggies in College Station. The book's foreword was written by Dave Campbell, who is busy these days promoting DC's Texas Football magazine for 2002. The next meeting of the DFW gang is planned for September, after Baylor's football season is underway . . .
SOME BAD NEWS - The Baylor Family should extend its sympathy to survivors of former Baylor football players Ray Mayfield and Robert Patterson. Mayfield played guard in the late 1940s and spent much of his working life at Houston Baptist University. Patterson was an end on some of Coach John Bridgers teams in the early 1960s . . . The wife of Al Dewlen was buried on July 15. Al played on the Baylor football team in 1941 and his son Mike lettered in the mid-1960s. Mike was killed in Vietnam and recently became the first person to be named to the "B" Association Wall of Honor. Mrs. Dewlen was not Mike's mother, but his stepmother. His father remarried after Mike's mother died in the 1980s . . . Jeff Mund who played his football in the early to mid-1970s lives close to the Guadeloupe River in New Braunfels. When that area of the state recently received almost 20 inches of rain in a short period of time, Jeff and wife Denise had to make some quick emergency plans when flooding was anticipated. Fortunately, their only loss involved damage to a boathouse and guest quarters. Jeff says the place will be repaired soon, but any guests headed his way should avoid bringing any water with them . . .
JACK LOFTIS
CO-CHAIRMAN
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
