Oct. 31, 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 Lee Harrington (leenelaine@281.com), Dutch Schroeder (Dutch_Schroeder@baylor.edu), Reba Cooper (Reba_Cooper@baylor.edu) or Jack Loftis (Jack.Loftis@chron.com). The mailing address is Baylor "B" Association, P. O. Box 8120, Waco, TX 76714
FOOTBALL AND TRACK - Three football standouts and three more individuals who excelled in track make up the list of 2002 inductees into the Baylor Athletic Hall of Fame. They are Ronald Burns, football (lettered '74, '75, '76 and '77); Dennis Gentry, football ('79, '80 and '81); Michael Welch, football (' 86, '87, '89 and '90); Natalie Nalepa, track ('88, '89, '90 and '91); Raymond Pierre, track (' 86, '87, '88 and '89); Raymond Vickrey, track ('54, '55 and '56). The annual Hall of Fame dinner will be held in the Baylor "B" Association Room at Floyd Casey Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15. The evening's ceremonies also will include the dedication of the recently re-designed Hall of Fame Wall and the Wall of Honor, the latter containing posthumous tributes to John Kane and Jack Lummus, two former Baylor athletes who were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Lining the Hall of Fame section are portraits of all inductees and a short biographical sketch of each . . . The Baylor Athletic Department reports that former Bears linebacker Mike Singletary is one of approximately 200 candidates being considered for a spot in an upcoming CBS special titled "College Football's Ten Greatest Players." (Ten? Whatever happened to the rule requiring 11 players on the field? But it appears everyone is cutting back these days.) The selection process will involve votes from coaches, fans, media, former Heisman Trophy winners, members of the College Football Hall of Fame and Division I athletic directors. The news release says the program will air at 12:30 p.m. (CST) on Nov. 29 . . .
ROOKIE HONORS AHEAD - Now that the World Series is history. get ready for the flood of annual baseball awards - including Rookie of the Year honors in both the leagues. A number of major league writers believe former Baylor pitching ace Jason Jennings has the inside track to become the National League's Rookie of the Year. The Colorado Rockies' right-hander finished the season with a 16-8 record on a fourth-place team in the NL Central Division. Jennings' earned-run average was a respectable 4.52 in 25 games. He struck out 127 while walking 70. Always strong at the plate, Jennings batted .306 and had 11 runs batted in. Once asked if Jennings could perform as an everyday major-league player because of his batting skills, Steve Smith, his BU coach, said it would be difficult because of Jennings' lack of speed. But with Jennings' mound success, changing positions becomes a moot point . . . Kip Wells, the former Baylorite who won 12 and lost 14 for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season, will be picking up an award at the annual Houston Baseball Dinner on Jan. 31. Wells will be honored as the Houston area Major League Player of the Year. The Elkins High School graduate finished the year with a 3.58 ERA in 33 games for the Pirates, who finished the year 24? games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central. Wells struck out 137 while walking 50 . . .
REPORTING SAD NEWS - Condolences should be extended to Elaine Harrington and husband Lee, the "B" Association executive director, following the death of Elaine's mother, Mildred Cezeaux. She died Oct. 23, with graveside services being held in Houston. Memorials may be sent to the First Baptist Church Building Fund, Kingsland, Texas 78639 . . . When former Nebraska All-American center Jake Young was killed in a terrorist explosion in Bali on Oct. 12, Baylor head football coach Kevin Steele lost a good friend and a loyal supporter. Steele first met Young, who played high school football in Midland, when Steele was a member of the Nebraska coaching staff under Tom Osborne. Young, who also had relatives in Houston, often asked about Steele and always wished him well. After ending his Nebraska career in the late 1980s, the Academic All-American chose law school over pro football and worked for a London law firm in Hong Kong. Still a good athlete at age 34, Young was a member of a rugby team that was winding up its season with a match in Bali. The explosion outside a popular club and restaurant killed almost 200. Young's wife and infant son had already departed Hong Kong for Kansas City, where Young planned to continue his law career. A memorial service was held for him in Kansas City on Oct. 26 and in Midland on Oct. 30. In the Cornhuskers' recent victory over Texas A&M, the Nebraska players had "Jake" taped to the back of their helmets . . .
JACK LOFTIS
CO-CHAIRMAN
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
