Mike Hurdle looks like a MAN
A History of Texas A&M Baseball Through Baseball Cards
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Last: 10 mo ago by Mr.Ackar07
Never realized until a few years ago how big mark Thurmond was for us. He was my high school select team coach for several years.
Mr.Ackar07,
Keep 'em coming. Enjoying the thread.
I've been collecting cards of A&M players for about 20 years now. I likely have a few duplicates of cards that you don't currently have. Have a few hundred (esp Knoblauch).
You are welcome to review my excess. I'll give you any that you don't currently have. Lemme know if you are interested.
quote:
Mr.Ackar07,
Keep 'em coming. Enjoying the thread.
I've been collecting cards of A&M players for about 20 years now. I likely have a few duplicates of cards that you don't currently have. Have a few hundred (esp Knoblauch).
You are welcome to review my excess. I'll give you any that you don't currently have. Lemme know if you are interested.
If you have something I need, I'm definately interested. By my research, there are around 85 Knoblauch cards that are either certified autograph or mention Texas A&M; I only have 50 something of them. I can even trade you extras of mine.
Bryan "Twig" Little 1979-1980
Bryan, who transferred from Louisburg JC, anchored a potent Aggie lineup as the everyday shortstop. During the 1979 season, Little led the Aggies in hits and games played while batting .337 in SWC play. Possessing a good eye at the plate, Little struck out only 17 times in 355 career at-bats at A&M; that's less than 5% of the time. During his senior season, Bryan hit .359 during the year, but had to settle for the second best average on the team. The Montreal Expos selected him in the 9th round of the major league amateur draft, and Little made the bigs during the 1982 season, beating Mark Ross to the punch by a month and a half. After leaving the majors in 1986, Bryan would return 11 years later as the first base coach for the Chicago White Sox. His older brother, Grady, managed the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Rodney Hodde 1978-1981
Rodney holds the distinction of driving in the winning run in a walk-off victory against the Houston Astros while a freshmen on the A&M team in 1978; during a mid-year exhibition game, Hodde was called on to pinch-hit in the bottom of the 10th inning giving the Aggies a 1-0 victory. One of eight Aggies to hit three home runs during a single game, Rodney ranks 14th all-time on the Aggie home run list with 26 career dingers. He also ranks 14th all-time with 137 RBIs. Rodney paced the Aggies in 1981 with a .364 batting average and 13 home runs. He was selected in the 18th round of the draft by the Texas Rangers.
Perry Swanson 1978-1981
Hodde's game winning hit in the 10th inning against the Astros gave Perry his only win against a major league team. That same year, Perry would go 3-2 including a 2-hitter against Lubbock Christian. Unfortunately, arm ailments derailed his college career, and Perry would not pitch again for the Aggies until the 1981 season. During 1981, Perry settled in as the Aggies' closer posting a 1-4 record with 6 saves. He was selected in the 22nd round by the Kansas City Royals in 1981.
Next week's installment will see the passing of the torch from one legendary baseball coach to another.
Bryan, who transferred from Louisburg JC, anchored a potent Aggie lineup as the everyday shortstop. During the 1979 season, Little led the Aggies in hits and games played while batting .337 in SWC play. Possessing a good eye at the plate, Little struck out only 17 times in 355 career at-bats at A&M; that's less than 5% of the time. During his senior season, Bryan hit .359 during the year, but had to settle for the second best average on the team. The Montreal Expos selected him in the 9th round of the major league amateur draft, and Little made the bigs during the 1982 season, beating Mark Ross to the punch by a month and a half. After leaving the majors in 1986, Bryan would return 11 years later as the first base coach for the Chicago White Sox. His older brother, Grady, managed the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Rodney Hodde 1978-1981
Rodney holds the distinction of driving in the winning run in a walk-off victory against the Houston Astros while a freshmen on the A&M team in 1978; during a mid-year exhibition game, Hodde was called on to pinch-hit in the bottom of the 10th inning giving the Aggies a 1-0 victory. One of eight Aggies to hit three home runs during a single game, Rodney ranks 14th all-time on the Aggie home run list with 26 career dingers. He also ranks 14th all-time with 137 RBIs. Rodney paced the Aggies in 1981 with a .364 batting average and 13 home runs. He was selected in the 18th round of the draft by the Texas Rangers.
Perry Swanson 1978-1981
Hodde's game winning hit in the 10th inning against the Astros gave Perry his only win against a major league team. That same year, Perry would go 3-2 including a 2-hitter against Lubbock Christian. Unfortunately, arm ailments derailed his college career, and Perry would not pitch again for the Aggies until the 1981 season. During 1981, Perry settled in as the Aggies' closer posting a 1-4 record with 6 saves. He was selected in the 22nd round by the Kansas City Royals in 1981.
Next week's installment will see the passing of the torch from one legendary baseball coach to another.
A&M had some great baseball players in the 70's. Be nice to see Kyle Hawthorne, Buster turner, Shelton McMath, Woody Woodruff etc and what they are doing now
donyvon,
Kyle Hawthorne is currently a Judge for Brazos County.
Kyle Hawthorne is currently a Judge for Brazos County.
Woody Woodruff lives nearby us. His oldest son played HS baseball with our son. Both his son and daughter graduated from Texas AM. He has a younger son who is probably in high school by now. Woody married one of the Diamond Darlings. I know he has gone back to the reunion at times. The Woodruffs are a great family!
Haven't seen those guys in years. Probably since 1980. I always knew they would be successful. They were/are winners.
Joe Szekely 1980-1982
After playing part-time for the Aggies at catcher in 1980, Joe busted out his sophomore year leading the Aggies with 7 triples. During the year, 22 of his 41 hits went for extra bases. Szekely would hit another 7 triples his junior year, including tying Billy Hodge's A&M record of three in one game. He was selected in the 2nd round of the 1982 draft by the Kansas City Royals. Joe was almost called up to the majors, but the Atlanta Braves would change their mind before he was able to report to the MLB team. Szekely would stay in baseball as a coach for the Atlanta Braves farm system and the women's professional baseball team, the Colorado SIlver Bullets, for a number of years. His dad, also named Joe, appeared in 5 MLB games in 1953 for the Cincinnati Reds.
Rick Luecken 1980-1983
Rick made his way to campus after turning down a first round draft selection (18th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 1979. He showed why he was selected that high by going 9-5 with a 2.70 ERA, leading the Aggies in strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts; he allowed only 7 hits during his 4 shutouts that season. After two more successful years, including a combined no-hitter (4th in Aggie history) with teammate Rock King against Delta State, Rick would struggle during his senior campaign. Despite struggling, Luecken would again throw a combined no-hitter (5th in Aggie history), this time with Sherman Corbett. He was selected in the 27th round of the draft by the Seattle Mariners, and made the majors in 1989. He is 10th all-time in career victories with 24 and 12th all-time in strikeouts with 230. He was also the first recipient of the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding pitcher award in 1982.
Robert Slavens 1980-1983
Slavens joined Luecken as starting freshmen on the Aggie pitching staff in 1980. He showed up Luecken by going 11-1 with a 2.92 ERA, including a 6-hit shutout of SMU. His only loss came as a reliever in the second round of the SWC Tournament. Robert holds the distinction of winning the first night game ever played at Olsen Field. During his last three seasons, Robert would not repeat the success he had during his freshman year, but he did win the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding pitcher award in 1983.
After playing part-time for the Aggies at catcher in 1980, Joe busted out his sophomore year leading the Aggies with 7 triples. During the year, 22 of his 41 hits went for extra bases. Szekely would hit another 7 triples his junior year, including tying Billy Hodge's A&M record of three in one game. He was selected in the 2nd round of the 1982 draft by the Kansas City Royals. Joe was almost called up to the majors, but the Atlanta Braves would change their mind before he was able to report to the MLB team. Szekely would stay in baseball as a coach for the Atlanta Braves farm system and the women's professional baseball team, the Colorado SIlver Bullets, for a number of years. His dad, also named Joe, appeared in 5 MLB games in 1953 for the Cincinnati Reds.
Rick Luecken 1980-1983
Rick made his way to campus after turning down a first round draft selection (18th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 1979. He showed why he was selected that high by going 9-5 with a 2.70 ERA, leading the Aggies in strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts; he allowed only 7 hits during his 4 shutouts that season. After two more successful years, including a combined no-hitter (4th in Aggie history) with teammate Rock King against Delta State, Rick would struggle during his senior campaign. Despite struggling, Luecken would again throw a combined no-hitter (5th in Aggie history), this time with Sherman Corbett. He was selected in the 27th round of the draft by the Seattle Mariners, and made the majors in 1989. He is 10th all-time in career victories with 24 and 12th all-time in strikeouts with 230. He was also the first recipient of the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding pitcher award in 1982.
Robert Slavens 1980-1983
Slavens joined Luecken as starting freshmen on the Aggie pitching staff in 1980. He showed up Luecken by going 11-1 with a 2.92 ERA, including a 6-hit shutout of SMU. His only loss came as a reliever in the second round of the SWC Tournament. Robert holds the distinction of winning the first night game ever played at Olsen Field. During his last three seasons, Robert would not repeat the success he had during his freshman year, but he did win the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding pitcher award in 1983.
Billy Cannon, Jr. 1981-1983
Billy, whose father was the 1959 Heisman Trophy winner with LSU, showed prowess on the grid iron, ranking 7th all-time in career punt returns, and on the baseball diamond, ranking 5th all-time with triples. After some shenanigans involving his third round draft choice in 1980 by the New York Yankees out of high school, Cannon came to the A&M campus and continued to improve each year with the bat, batting .329 his junior year. He sat out of baseball his senior year and was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Sadly, during his eighth career NFL game, he would injure his neck and would never play professional sports again.
Mark Johnson Head Coach 1983-2005
After making numerous trips to the College World Series with Arizona as their assistant coach, Johnson would come on board with the Aggies in 1983 before taking over for Tom Chandler as the head coach in 1985. Johnson helped lead the Aggies back to the College World Series in 1993 and again in 1999. Under his guidance, the Aggies went 876-431-3, and his .670 winning percentage is the best among 19 known head coaches (the 1894 Aggies had a .750 winning percentage in four games against high school teams, but the head coach is unknown). Mark's teams won three SWC conference titles, two SWC Tournament Championships, and two Big XII conference titles. During his 21 years at the helm, the Aggies made it to the NCAA playoffs 13 times. After a brief stint with Sam Houston, Mark returned to Aggieland as the color commentator on the radio with Dave South. He is currently the color commentator for SECN+ for the Aggies' non-SEC TV games. His #7 jersey is the second jersey retired by the Aggies. (Cliff Pennington makes a cameo in the far right card; look for him in the weeks to come)
Sherman "Sherbett" Corbett 1982-1984
In only four games as a starting pitcher his freshman year, Corbett had already nailed down a two-hitter against Oklahoma City and a three-hitter against McNeese State. After teaming up with Rick Leucken to no-hit St. Mary's College in 1983, he would win another 6 games in 1984 to finish his Aggie career with 14. He was selected in the 3rd round of the 1984 MLB draft by the California Angeles, and was in the majors by 1988. After his playing career, Corbett would return to A&M for his MBA and became the head coach for the UTSA baseball program. Under his tutelage, the Roadrunners went 353-329 with three Southland Conference championships. Against the Aggies, his team went 5-12 including a come from behind walk-off win against the Aggies in 2011.
Billy, whose father was the 1959 Heisman Trophy winner with LSU, showed prowess on the grid iron, ranking 7th all-time in career punt returns, and on the baseball diamond, ranking 5th all-time with triples. After some shenanigans involving his third round draft choice in 1980 by the New York Yankees out of high school, Cannon came to the A&M campus and continued to improve each year with the bat, batting .329 his junior year. He sat out of baseball his senior year and was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Sadly, during his eighth career NFL game, he would injure his neck and would never play professional sports again.
Mark Johnson Head Coach 1983-2005
After making numerous trips to the College World Series with Arizona as their assistant coach, Johnson would come on board with the Aggies in 1983 before taking over for Tom Chandler as the head coach in 1985. Johnson helped lead the Aggies back to the College World Series in 1993 and again in 1999. Under his guidance, the Aggies went 876-431-3, and his .670 winning percentage is the best among 19 known head coaches (the 1894 Aggies had a .750 winning percentage in four games against high school teams, but the head coach is unknown). Mark's teams won three SWC conference titles, two SWC Tournament Championships, and two Big XII conference titles. During his 21 years at the helm, the Aggies made it to the NCAA playoffs 13 times. After a brief stint with Sam Houston, Mark returned to Aggieland as the color commentator on the radio with Dave South. He is currently the color commentator for SECN+ for the Aggies' non-SEC TV games. His #7 jersey is the second jersey retired by the Aggies. (Cliff Pennington makes a cameo in the far right card; look for him in the weeks to come)
Sherman "Sherbett" Corbett 1982-1984
In only four games as a starting pitcher his freshman year, Corbett had already nailed down a two-hitter against Oklahoma City and a three-hitter against McNeese State. After teaming up with Rick Leucken to no-hit St. Mary's College in 1983, he would win another 6 games in 1984 to finish his Aggie career with 14. He was selected in the 3rd round of the 1984 MLB draft by the California Angeles, and was in the majors by 1988. After his playing career, Corbett would return to A&M for his MBA and became the head coach for the UTSA baseball program. Under his tutelage, the Roadrunners went 353-329 with three Southland Conference championships. Against the Aggies, his team went 5-12 including a come from behind walk-off win against the Aggies in 2011.
Phillip Taylor 1982-1985
After starting out in the bullpen his freshman year, Taylor transitioned to the starting rotation and tied for the team lead in victories his sophomore year. Phillip was plagued with rotator cuff problems during 1984 but still managed a two-hit shutout of Minnesota. Taylor also got the victory against Arkansas that same year to set a then record with the Aggies winning their 16th game in a row which is currently the third longest winning streak in Aggie history. While staying healthy his senior year, Phillip would once again lead the Aggies in victories with 9 to capture the 1985 C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award. Phillip was one of three Aggies to sign with the Miami Marlins of the Florida State League in 1985.
Robert "Rob" Swain 1984-1985
Rob was a power hitting shortstop that transferred to the Aggies in 1983 from Yavapai JC in Arizona. He had an immediate impact on the Aggies by leading the team in hitting (.360), runs (52), hits (76), homeruns (11), and walks (29) in 1984. With those stats, he was honored with the Marion Pugh MVP award. In 1985, Swain and teammate Fred Gegen would both score five runs against Texas Tech to tie Dave Elmendorf's record for most runs in a game. Before being selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 21st round of the 1985 draft, Rob would finish his A&M career by posting the 12th best career batting average with .347. Rob's playing career was prematurely ended after taking a pitch to the jaw in 1989, but he managed to transition into a coaching role in the minors for a number of years.
Jeff "Scrappy Doo" Schow 1985-1986
After leading the College of Southern Idaho to the JUCO national title, Schow transferred to A&M and became the starting second baseman for the Aggies. While leading the Aggies his senior year in hits (79), batting average (.331), runs (65), and walks (46), Jeff led the Aggies to a share of the SWC conference champion title in 1986, their first after a 7 year drought. That same year, the Aggies would win their first SWC Tournament championship where Jeff and seven other Aggies were honored as selections to the SWC All-Tournament team. Jeff turned down a 10th round draft pick from the San Francisco Giants in 1984, and he never signed a pro contract after leaving Texas A&M.
After starting out in the bullpen his freshman year, Taylor transitioned to the starting rotation and tied for the team lead in victories his sophomore year. Phillip was plagued with rotator cuff problems during 1984 but still managed a two-hit shutout of Minnesota. Taylor also got the victory against Arkansas that same year to set a then record with the Aggies winning their 16th game in a row which is currently the third longest winning streak in Aggie history. While staying healthy his senior year, Phillip would once again lead the Aggies in victories with 9 to capture the 1985 C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award. Phillip was one of three Aggies to sign with the Miami Marlins of the Florida State League in 1985.
Robert "Rob" Swain 1984-1985
Rob was a power hitting shortstop that transferred to the Aggies in 1983 from Yavapai JC in Arizona. He had an immediate impact on the Aggies by leading the team in hitting (.360), runs (52), hits (76), homeruns (11), and walks (29) in 1984. With those stats, he was honored with the Marion Pugh MVP award. In 1985, Swain and teammate Fred Gegen would both score five runs against Texas Tech to tie Dave Elmendorf's record for most runs in a game. Before being selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 21st round of the 1985 draft, Rob would finish his A&M career by posting the 12th best career batting average with .347. Rob's playing career was prematurely ended after taking a pitch to the jaw in 1989, but he managed to transition into a coaching role in the minors for a number of years.
Jeff "Scrappy Doo" Schow 1985-1986
After leading the College of Southern Idaho to the JUCO national title, Schow transferred to A&M and became the starting second baseman for the Aggies. While leading the Aggies his senior year in hits (79), batting average (.331), runs (65), and walks (46), Jeff led the Aggies to a share of the SWC conference champion title in 1986, their first after a 7 year drought. That same year, the Aggies would win their first SWC Tournament championship where Jeff and seven other Aggies were honored as selections to the SWC All-Tournament team. Jeff turned down a 10th round draft pick from the San Francisco Giants in 1984, and he never signed a pro contract after leaving Texas A&M.
Troy Neel, Football Player
Troy attended Texas A&M in the mid-80s as a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie football team under Jackie Sherrill. After playing for the Ags, Troy transferred to Howard College in Big Spring, TX where he became their first ever MLB draft pick when selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 9th round of the 1986 draft. Six years later, Troy was filling in for an injured Mark McGwire with the Oakland Athletics, and he would finish 7th in the 1993 AL Rookie of the Year voting. In 1995, Troy crossed the Pacific to play with the Orix BlueWave of the Nippon Professional Baseball League (Japan). He would lead the NPB in RBIs in 1996 while finishing 5th in homeruns. Before his professional career was over, he would attempt an unsuccessful MLB comeback with the Angles and then played one final professional season in the Korean Baseball league.
Russ "Swanny" Swan 1985-1986
Russ, who transferred from Spokane Falls Junior College in 1984 after turning down two different draft selections, finally accepted a 9th round pick by the San Francisco Giants in 1986. Three years later, and only two months after Sherman Corbett, Swanny would make his MLB debut. A trade in 1990 would send him to his hometown team, the Seattle Mariners, where, seven days after Randy Johnson no-hit the Detroit Tigers, Russ tried one of his own, lasting until the 8th inning before allowing a hit against the same Tiger lineup. He would post his best season in 1991 with the Mariners out of the bullpen by going 6-2 with a 3.43 ERA. Sadly, Russ was found unconscious at the bottom of a flight of stairs in 2006 and would shortly succumb to his injuries at the age of 42.
Everado "Ever" Magallanes 1986-1987
Ever was an instant favorite at shortstop for the Aggies after transferring from Cerritos Junior College. Selected as a SWC all-conference player in both his seasons with the Aggies, Ever would hit .342 in 1987, but when SWC play started, he turned it up by hitting at a .409 clip. Not only adept with the bat, Magallanes set a then Aggie record in 1987 with 218 assists up the middle. After his senior year, Ever was selected in the 10th round of the 1987 MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians and was signed by former A&M head coach Tom Chandler. In 1991, he became one of three Aggies that made their MLB debut all within a span of months. Unfortunately, Ever's MLB career lasted only three plate appearances where he reached base only once via walk. Ever eventually spent 11 years in the Mexican Baseball league where he was inducted into the Caribbean Hall of Fame in 2013 alongside Fernando Valenzuela. Magallanes is currently working as a coach in the Chicago White Sox system.
Troy attended Texas A&M in the mid-80s as a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie football team under Jackie Sherrill. After playing for the Ags, Troy transferred to Howard College in Big Spring, TX where he became their first ever MLB draft pick when selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 9th round of the 1986 draft. Six years later, Troy was filling in for an injured Mark McGwire with the Oakland Athletics, and he would finish 7th in the 1993 AL Rookie of the Year voting. In 1995, Troy crossed the Pacific to play with the Orix BlueWave of the Nippon Professional Baseball League (Japan). He would lead the NPB in RBIs in 1996 while finishing 5th in homeruns. Before his professional career was over, he would attempt an unsuccessful MLB comeback with the Angles and then played one final professional season in the Korean Baseball league.
Russ "Swanny" Swan 1985-1986
Russ, who transferred from Spokane Falls Junior College in 1984 after turning down two different draft selections, finally accepted a 9th round pick by the San Francisco Giants in 1986. Three years later, and only two months after Sherman Corbett, Swanny would make his MLB debut. A trade in 1990 would send him to his hometown team, the Seattle Mariners, where, seven days after Randy Johnson no-hit the Detroit Tigers, Russ tried one of his own, lasting until the 8th inning before allowing a hit against the same Tiger lineup. He would post his best season in 1991 with the Mariners out of the bullpen by going 6-2 with a 3.43 ERA. Sadly, Russ was found unconscious at the bottom of a flight of stairs in 2006 and would shortly succumb to his injuries at the age of 42.
Everado "Ever" Magallanes 1986-1987
Ever was an instant favorite at shortstop for the Aggies after transferring from Cerritos Junior College. Selected as a SWC all-conference player in both his seasons with the Aggies, Ever would hit .342 in 1987, but when SWC play started, he turned it up by hitting at a .409 clip. Not only adept with the bat, Magallanes set a then Aggie record in 1987 with 218 assists up the middle. After his senior year, Ever was selected in the 10th round of the 1987 MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians and was signed by former A&M head coach Tom Chandler. In 1991, he became one of three Aggies that made their MLB debut all within a span of months. Unfortunately, Ever's MLB career lasted only three plate appearances where he reached base only once via walk. Ever eventually spent 11 years in the Mexican Baseball league where he was inducted into the Caribbean Hall of Fame in 2013 alongside Fernando Valenzuela. Magallanes is currently working as a coach in the Chicago White Sox system.
Scott Livingstone 1985-1988
Drafted out of high school in the 6th round by the Toronto Blue Jays, Scott elected to instead play third base for Texas A&M. After two great seasons at the plate for the Ags, batting .314 with 17 home runs, 3 of which came in a game against TCU, Scott exploded his junior year and led the Aggies with a .403 batting average, 72 runs scored, 5 triples, and 19 home runs. His 19 home runs during the season are the 4th most ever by an Aggie. He earned two All-American selections during the 1987 and 1988 seasons, and is one of eight Aggies to earn at least two such selections. When his Aggie career was over, he would leave campus as the all-time leader in games played (currently 2nd), at bats (still 1st), hits (currently 2nd), runs (still 1st), doubles (still 1st), home runs (currently 2nd), RBIs (still 1st), and total bases (still 1st). Scott was drafted in the 2nd round of the MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers, and he debuted in the majors in 1991. Scott spent eight years in the majors with the Tigers, Padres, Cardinals, and Expos. The last picture is an actual baseball card contract between Topps and Scott Livingstone granting Topps the rights to
produce Scott's image on baseball cards.
Sean Snedeker 1987-1988
Sean, a native of Bryan Texas, came home in 1987 after playing baseball for South West Texas State. During his junior year, he finished with an 8-2 record and a 4.05 ERA. Named as the team captain for his senior year in 1988, Sean would better himself with a 9-2 record and a 3.50 ERA to earn the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award. His .810 career winning percentage is 11th all-time for the Aggies. Snedeker was a late round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he spent five years in the minors where he pitched a perfect game against the Port St. Lucie Mets in 1991. After spending time as a pitching coach in the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers minor league systems, Sean has been a pitching coach at the D1 college level for a number of years now. He spent eight years developing pitching talent with Duke, and he is currently the pitching coach for Oral Roberts; neither of his teams has faced the Aggies.
Tom Carcione 1988
Tom stepped onto the A&M campus for one season after transferring from Connors Junior College in Oklahoma. During his lone season at catcher, Carcione hit .280 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs helping the Ags achieve a 52-15 record and a trip to the NCAA regionals where the Ags lost an 11-inning game to Cal-State Fullerton to finish the season. Carcione was drafted in the 10th round by the Oakland Athletics, and he spent a handful of years in their minor league system. After a stint in the independent leagues, Tom has held a number of roles for various colleges including South Dakota and Metro State. Recently, Tom was the assistant coach for the Northern Illinois Huskies, and he currently holds the title of Director of Baseball Operations for them.
Coming up next week: 58-7!
Drafted out of high school in the 6th round by the Toronto Blue Jays, Scott elected to instead play third base for Texas A&M. After two great seasons at the plate for the Ags, batting .314 with 17 home runs, 3 of which came in a game against TCU, Scott exploded his junior year and led the Aggies with a .403 batting average, 72 runs scored, 5 triples, and 19 home runs. His 19 home runs during the season are the 4th most ever by an Aggie. He earned two All-American selections during the 1987 and 1988 seasons, and is one of eight Aggies to earn at least two such selections. When his Aggie career was over, he would leave campus as the all-time leader in games played (currently 2nd), at bats (still 1st), hits (currently 2nd), runs (still 1st), doubles (still 1st), home runs (currently 2nd), RBIs (still 1st), and total bases (still 1st). Scott was drafted in the 2nd round of the MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers, and he debuted in the majors in 1991. Scott spent eight years in the majors with the Tigers, Padres, Cardinals, and Expos. The last picture is an actual baseball card contract between Topps and Scott Livingstone granting Topps the rights to
produce Scott's image on baseball cards.
Sean Snedeker 1987-1988
Sean, a native of Bryan Texas, came home in 1987 after playing baseball for South West Texas State. During his junior year, he finished with an 8-2 record and a 4.05 ERA. Named as the team captain for his senior year in 1988, Sean would better himself with a 9-2 record and a 3.50 ERA to earn the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award. His .810 career winning percentage is 11th all-time for the Aggies. Snedeker was a late round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he spent five years in the minors where he pitched a perfect game against the Port St. Lucie Mets in 1991. After spending time as a pitching coach in the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers minor league systems, Sean has been a pitching coach at the D1 college level for a number of years now. He spent eight years developing pitching talent with Duke, and he is currently the pitching coach for Oral Roberts; neither of his teams has faced the Aggies.
Tom Carcione 1988
Tom stepped onto the A&M campus for one season after transferring from Connors Junior College in Oklahoma. During his lone season at catcher, Carcione hit .280 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs helping the Ags achieve a 52-15 record and a trip to the NCAA regionals where the Ags lost an 11-inning game to Cal-State Fullerton to finish the season. Carcione was drafted in the 10th round by the Oakland Athletics, and he spent a handful of years in their minor league system. After a stint in the independent leagues, Tom has held a number of roles for various colleges including South Dakota and Metro State. Recently, Tom was the assistant coach for the Northern Illinois Huskies, and he currently holds the title of Director of Baseball Operations for them.
Coming up next week: 58-7!
There's so many of these guys that I remember from my baseball card collecting days of the late 80s/early 90s that I had no idea were Ags.
Thanks for sharing this
Thanks for sharing this
Eric Albright 1987-1989
Eric joined A&M after playing at Los Angeles Harbor Junior College. Despite hitting only .292 his junior year for the Ags, Eric touted a .344 average during SWC play, and he hit .423 with runners in scoring position. For the famed 1989 team, Eric was the everyday catcher and hit .327 with 15 home runs (tied for 13th most during a single season), and drove in 72 (tied for 7th most in a single season). During the 2nd game of a double header against Texas in 1989, Eric had a straight steal of home to pad an early Aggie lead. Eric was one of nine Aggies chosen for the 1989 SWC All-Conference team, and was one of eleven Aggies to sign pro contracts after the 1989 season ended. Selected in the 7th round by the Detroit Tigers, Eric spent four years in the minor leagues. After his playing career, Eric has held several athletic director positions for different high schools and is currently in that role for the Westminster High School Lions in California.
John "Big John" Byington 1987-1989
Big John more than lived up to his nickname during his career at Texas A&M. As a freshman, John set records for most hits in a season (currently 11th), most doubles in a season (currently 5th), and tied Scott Livingstone for 2nd most home runs in a season (currently 7th). After a stellar 1988 season, John upped the ante in 1989 by hitting .442, missing the all-time high set by Mike McClure in 1965 by .001. During the year, he also drove in 89 Aggies which is 2nd most all-time for a season and earned the SWC Player of the Year award. John still holds all-time spots for career hits (4th with 260), batting average (3rd at .372), runs (4th with 198), doubles (3rd with 63), home runs (3rd with 47), and RBIs (2nd with 225). John is most remembered for his three 9th inning home runs in the series against Texas in 1989. The Ags lost the first game 6-2 despite his first 9th inning home run, but his next two, during a double header, secured walk-off victories for the Aggies; In the first game he hit one with the bases loaded as part of an 8 run 9th inning to give the Aggies an 18-14 victory, and he followed that up in the night cap with a tie breaking 3-run home run to again beat Texas in walk-off fashion. All of those highlights, including Albright's steal of home, can be seen here. He was drafted in the 3rd round by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Scott Centala 1987-1989
Scott, the captain of the 1989 Aggie team, was the closer for A&M during his collegiate career. He set a then A&M record in 1988 by posting 11 saves (currently 3rd most in school history), and followed that up in 1989 with 10 more. Also during 1989, he posted a 5-1 record and paced the Ags with 73 strikeouts. His 23 saves for the Ags during his playing career still rank 1st overall. Taken by the Kansas City Royals in the 15th round, Scott spent six seasons in the minors and independent leagues, making it to AAA in 1991. After his pro playing career, Scott transitioned into the role of a softball coach for the University of Washington, and he currently serves as a sports consultant for both male and female athletes.
Eric joined A&M after playing at Los Angeles Harbor Junior College. Despite hitting only .292 his junior year for the Ags, Eric touted a .344 average during SWC play, and he hit .423 with runners in scoring position. For the famed 1989 team, Eric was the everyday catcher and hit .327 with 15 home runs (tied for 13th most during a single season), and drove in 72 (tied for 7th most in a single season). During the 2nd game of a double header against Texas in 1989, Eric had a straight steal of home to pad an early Aggie lead. Eric was one of nine Aggies chosen for the 1989 SWC All-Conference team, and was one of eleven Aggies to sign pro contracts after the 1989 season ended. Selected in the 7th round by the Detroit Tigers, Eric spent four years in the minor leagues. After his playing career, Eric has held several athletic director positions for different high schools and is currently in that role for the Westminster High School Lions in California.
John "Big John" Byington 1987-1989
Big John more than lived up to his nickname during his career at Texas A&M. As a freshman, John set records for most hits in a season (currently 11th), most doubles in a season (currently 5th), and tied Scott Livingstone for 2nd most home runs in a season (currently 7th). After a stellar 1988 season, John upped the ante in 1989 by hitting .442, missing the all-time high set by Mike McClure in 1965 by .001. During the year, he also drove in 89 Aggies which is 2nd most all-time for a season and earned the SWC Player of the Year award. John still holds all-time spots for career hits (4th with 260), batting average (3rd at .372), runs (4th with 198), doubles (3rd with 63), home runs (3rd with 47), and RBIs (2nd with 225). John is most remembered for his three 9th inning home runs in the series against Texas in 1989. The Ags lost the first game 6-2 despite his first 9th inning home run, but his next two, during a double header, secured walk-off victories for the Aggies; In the first game he hit one with the bases loaded as part of an 8 run 9th inning to give the Aggies an 18-14 victory, and he followed that up in the night cap with a tie breaking 3-run home run to again beat Texas in walk-off fashion. All of those highlights, including Albright's steal of home, can be seen here. He was drafted in the 3rd round by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Scott Centala 1987-1989
Scott, the captain of the 1989 Aggie team, was the closer for A&M during his collegiate career. He set a then A&M record in 1988 by posting 11 saves (currently 3rd most in school history), and followed that up in 1989 with 10 more. Also during 1989, he posted a 5-1 record and paced the Ags with 73 strikeouts. His 23 saves for the Ags during his playing career still rank 1st overall. Taken by the Kansas City Royals in the 15th round, Scott spent six seasons in the minors and independent leagues, making it to AAA in 1991. After his pro playing career, Scott transitioned into the role of a softball coach for the University of Washington, and he currently serves as a sports consultant for both male and female athletes.
Tim Herrmann 1987-1989
Tim transferred to A&M after spending one season at Blinn Junior College. Due to a persistent arm injury, Tim only appeared in four games in 1987, but he still managed to win two games for the Ags. Tim eventually had surgery on his arm and missed the 1988 season. He returned to form his senior year in 1989 and went 6-0 with a 2.67 ERA in eight games with 23 strikeouts. Tim was selected in the 25th round of the 1989 draft by the Detroit Tigers and spent two seasons in the minors. Tim, Eric Albright, and Keith Langston all played for the 1989 Niagara Falls Rapids, the predecessor to the Jamestown Jammers.
Edward "Chuck" "Knob" Knoblauch 1987-1989
Chuck started his freshman year with the Aggies as the everyday centerfielder and hit .341, leading the Aggies with 23 stolen bases. He improved his performance in 1988 after switching to shortstop and earned the Marion Pugh MVP award while leading the Ags in batting average at .365, hits with 93, runs with 73, triples with 5, and stolen bases with 24. His junior year was overshadowed by Byington's extraordinary season, but he still put up a .364 batting average and tied Kirk Thompson for the team lead in stolen bases with 36. Knoblauch was the first Aggie selected in the 1989 amateur draft after the Twins took him during the first round. He is currently 3rd on the all-time hits list with 261, 5th in batting average at .356, 2nd in runs with 206, and 3rd in stolen bases with 83. The 1991 Minnesota Twins, in desperate need of a second baseman, promoted Knoblauch out of spring training. He responded by winning the 1991 AL Rookie of the Year award and helped the Twins claim the World Series over the Atlanta Braves. Chuck would go on to win three more World Series titles with the New York Yankees in 1998, 1999, and 2000. During his career, he earned the 1997 gold glove award at second base and was selected to four All-Star teams.
Randy Pryor 1987-1989
A highly touted high school pitcher out of Pearland, Randy saw action in six games for the Ags his freshman year going 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA while striking out 23 batters in 24 innings. Strangely, two of the nine earned runs he allowed came in a three inning no-hit effort due to issuing seven walks, three wild pitches, and two hit batsmen. Unfortunately, Randy was plagued with arm troubles the rest of his career at A&M, and he only appeared in three games for the Aggies in 1989. After being selected by the Houston Astros in 1986 out of high school, Randy's arm troubles caused him to go undrafted out of college.
Tim transferred to A&M after spending one season at Blinn Junior College. Due to a persistent arm injury, Tim only appeared in four games in 1987, but he still managed to win two games for the Ags. Tim eventually had surgery on his arm and missed the 1988 season. He returned to form his senior year in 1989 and went 6-0 with a 2.67 ERA in eight games with 23 strikeouts. Tim was selected in the 25th round of the 1989 draft by the Detroit Tigers and spent two seasons in the minors. Tim, Eric Albright, and Keith Langston all played for the 1989 Niagara Falls Rapids, the predecessor to the Jamestown Jammers.
Edward "Chuck" "Knob" Knoblauch 1987-1989
Chuck started his freshman year with the Aggies as the everyday centerfielder and hit .341, leading the Aggies with 23 stolen bases. He improved his performance in 1988 after switching to shortstop and earned the Marion Pugh MVP award while leading the Ags in batting average at .365, hits with 93, runs with 73, triples with 5, and stolen bases with 24. His junior year was overshadowed by Byington's extraordinary season, but he still put up a .364 batting average and tied Kirk Thompson for the team lead in stolen bases with 36. Knoblauch was the first Aggie selected in the 1989 amateur draft after the Twins took him during the first round. He is currently 3rd on the all-time hits list with 261, 5th in batting average at .356, 2nd in runs with 206, and 3rd in stolen bases with 83. The 1991 Minnesota Twins, in desperate need of a second baseman, promoted Knoblauch out of spring training. He responded by winning the 1991 AL Rookie of the Year award and helped the Twins claim the World Series over the Atlanta Braves. Chuck would go on to win three more World Series titles with the New York Yankees in 1998, 1999, and 2000. During his career, he earned the 1997 gold glove award at second base and was selected to four All-Star teams.
Randy Pryor 1987-1989
A highly touted high school pitcher out of Pearland, Randy saw action in six games for the Ags his freshman year going 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA while striking out 23 batters in 24 innings. Strangely, two of the nine earned runs he allowed came in a three inning no-hit effort due to issuing seven walks, three wild pitches, and two hit batsmen. Unfortunately, Randy was plagued with arm troubles the rest of his career at A&M, and he only appeared in three games for the Aggies in 1989. After being selected by the Houston Astros in 1986 out of high school, Randy's arm troubles caused him to go undrafted out of college.
Andy Duke 1986-1989
Andy, used mostly as a defensive replacement or pinch runner during his freshman and sophomore seasons, secured a starting spot in 1989. He responded by posting a .358 batting average scoring 49 times while driving in 59. His performance earned him a SWC All-Conference award, and he was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 38th round, the 9th and final Ag signed in the draft that year; two others would later sign as undrafted free agents. Andy only spent one season in the minors.
Terry Taylor 1987-1989
Terry, one of three vaunted freshmen bats on the team in 1987 (Byington and Knoblauch being the other two), started his Aggie career off by batting .305 with six home runs. For his sophomore and junior seasons, he upped his home run total to 17 in each; both of those amounts currently are tied for 7th most in a single season. In 1989, his 71 RBIs rank 9th most all-time in a season, and his 50 walks rank 3rd all-time in a season. His A&M career totals leave him 7th in runs scored (187), 4th in RBIs (183), 2nd in walks (132), and what should be the 6th most career home runs with 40, but the media guide does not list him. His 1989 season earned him a 5th round selection by the California Angels where he spent four seasons in the minors. Texags had a great interview about the 25th anniversary of the 1989 team with both Taylor and Byington that can be found here.
Kirk "KT" Thompson 1988-1989
A JUCO transfer from the JUCO National Champions, San Jacinto Junior College, KT was second on the 1989 team with a .376 batting average leading the team with 94 hits and tied for the lead in stolen bases with 36. His 90 runs scored is still the single season record for A&M. During the season, he would hit safely in 26 straight games, which is the third longest all-time. His efforts earned him the Wally Moon award and an 18th round draft selection by the Kansas City Royals. Like Andy Duke, Kirk spent only one season playing in the minors.
Andy, used mostly as a defensive replacement or pinch runner during his freshman and sophomore seasons, secured a starting spot in 1989. He responded by posting a .358 batting average scoring 49 times while driving in 59. His performance earned him a SWC All-Conference award, and he was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 38th round, the 9th and final Ag signed in the draft that year; two others would later sign as undrafted free agents. Andy only spent one season in the minors.
Terry Taylor 1987-1989
Terry, one of three vaunted freshmen bats on the team in 1987 (Byington and Knoblauch being the other two), started his Aggie career off by batting .305 with six home runs. For his sophomore and junior seasons, he upped his home run total to 17 in each; both of those amounts currently are tied for 7th most in a single season. In 1989, his 71 RBIs rank 9th most all-time in a season, and his 50 walks rank 3rd all-time in a season. His A&M career totals leave him 7th in runs scored (187), 4th in RBIs (183), 2nd in walks (132), and what should be the 6th most career home runs with 40, but the media guide does not list him. His 1989 season earned him a 5th round selection by the California Angels where he spent four seasons in the minors. Texags had a great interview about the 25th anniversary of the 1989 team with both Taylor and Byington that can be found here.
Kirk "KT" Thompson 1988-1989
A JUCO transfer from the JUCO National Champions, San Jacinto Junior College, KT was second on the 1989 team with a .376 batting average leading the team with 94 hits and tied for the lead in stolen bases with 36. His 90 runs scored is still the single season record for A&M. During the season, he would hit safely in 26 straight games, which is the third longest all-time. His efforts earned him the Wally Moon award and an 18th round draft selection by the Kansas City Royals. Like Andy Duke, Kirk spent only one season playing in the minors.
TNT
Great thread. Posts are voluminous. Has anyone mentioned the serious unibrow of Wally Moon?
Keith Langston 1988-1989
Langston was a teammate of Kirk Thompson on the JUCO National Championship winning San Jacinto Junior College before transferring with Thompson to the A&M campus. Keith also played on the same high school team as Randy Pryor. Keith did not see action for Aggies until his senior year when he led the Ags by posting a 12-1 record with a 3.16 ERA garnering the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award. His 12 wins during 1989 are tied for 5th most in a single season, and his .889 winning percentage was a record when he left campus, but it is currently 4th all-time. Drafted by the Tigers in the 12th round of the 1989 draft, Keith would spend only two short seasons in the minors before arm injuries forced an early retirement.
Richard "Rich" Robertson 1990
Rich was also teammates with Kirk Thompson and Keith Langston for San Jacinto Junior College, but he elected not to transfer until the 1990 season. There is belief that his arm may have been the difference for the Aggies not reaching the College World Series in 1989. The speculation stems from his stellar 10-1 record in 1990 for the Aggies with a 1.77 ERA. Had he pitched nine more innings, his .909 winning percentage would be the 3rd best record for A&M. Robertson also posted 106 strikeouts en route to winning both the Marion Pugh MVP award and the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award. This season landed Robertson a 9th round selection by the Pittsburg Pirates, and by 1993, he was in the majors. During his six years in the majors, Rich won 17 games and struck out 237 batters.
Bo "Psycho" Siberz 1990
Bo transferred to A&M from Westark Community College in Arkansas for his junior season. Used mostly as a reliever, Bo was one of five Aggies to notch saves for the 1990 team. During the year, Bo went 2-3 with a 3.25 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched. Drafted for the 3rd year in a row, Siberz finally signed a 14th round selection by the New York Yankees. During his brief minor league career, Bo had an amazing 103 strikeouts in only 87.2 innings pitched but suffered from control problems as he also issued 55 walks.
Langston was a teammate of Kirk Thompson on the JUCO National Championship winning San Jacinto Junior College before transferring with Thompson to the A&M campus. Keith also played on the same high school team as Randy Pryor. Keith did not see action for Aggies until his senior year when he led the Ags by posting a 12-1 record with a 3.16 ERA garnering the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award. His 12 wins during 1989 are tied for 5th most in a single season, and his .889 winning percentage was a record when he left campus, but it is currently 4th all-time. Drafted by the Tigers in the 12th round of the 1989 draft, Keith would spend only two short seasons in the minors before arm injuries forced an early retirement.
Richard "Rich" Robertson 1990
Rich was also teammates with Kirk Thompson and Keith Langston for San Jacinto Junior College, but he elected not to transfer until the 1990 season. There is belief that his arm may have been the difference for the Aggies not reaching the College World Series in 1989. The speculation stems from his stellar 10-1 record in 1990 for the Aggies with a 1.77 ERA. Had he pitched nine more innings, his .909 winning percentage would be the 3rd best record for A&M. Robertson also posted 106 strikeouts en route to winning both the Marion Pugh MVP award and the C.E. Pat Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award. This season landed Robertson a 9th round selection by the Pittsburg Pirates, and by 1993, he was in the majors. During his six years in the majors, Rich won 17 games and struck out 237 batters.
Bo "Psycho" Siberz 1990
Bo transferred to A&M from Westark Community College in Arkansas for his junior season. Used mostly as a reliever, Bo was one of five Aggies to notch saves for the 1990 team. During the year, Bo went 2-3 with a 3.25 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched. Drafted for the 3rd year in a row, Siberz finally signed a 14th round selection by the New York Yankees. During his brief minor league career, Bo had an amazing 103 strikeouts in only 87.2 innings pitched but suffered from control problems as he also issued 55 walks.
quote:Is that what earned him the "Psycho" nickname?
but suffered from control problems
since this is a history thread for aggie baseball...a general question that came up in the stands a couple of weeks ago...when was the program integrated? and who were among the first players to do so?
I think most A&M fans are familiar with the answers for the football program. I have no idea for the baseball program
I think most A&M fans are familiar with the answers for the football program. I have no idea for the baseball program
I'll throw the first name out - Mike Frazier, catcher in the early '70s.
quote:Only partly, Bo had a little bit of a 'unhinged' personality on the mound. Whether that was his real personality or something he cultivated as an attempt to gain an edge on opposition batters, I don't know.quote:Is that what earned him the "Psycho" nickname?
but suffered from control problems
quote:My oldest media guide is from 1973 which lists Mike Frazier, so short of a finding an old yearbook or older media guide, I'm no help here.
I'll throw the first name out - Mike Frazier, catcher in the early '70s.
Steve Hughes 1988-1991
Steve was a relief specialist during his entire Aggie career and never started a game. While recording 11 saves for the Aggies during his four years, Steve never lost a game until his senior year, and his .900 winning percentage is 3rd best all-time. Hughes was elected as the team captain both his junior and senior year. An arm injury prematurely ended his collegiate career in 1991 along with any chance of being drafted. He remained active in baseball after graduation serving as a pitching coach for Houston Baptist University, Westbury High School, and Texas Southern University.
Ronald "Ronnie" Allen 1989-1991
Ronnie racked up the 12th most wins of any player during his career at Texas A&M with 23, and his 20 complete games ranks 3rd all-time. His 3-hit shutout of Arkansas in 1989 secured a share of the SWC regular season championship title which bettered his best collegiate start when he 4-hit Southwest Texas in his very first collegiate appearance earlier in the season. In 1990, Ronnie went on to shutout St. John's, Texas Tech, and Rice and earned selection to play for Team USA that summer. By the end of his junior year, he was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 3rd round of the 1991 draft. He spent five years in the minor leagues reaching as high as AAA.
Trey Witte 1989-1991
Trey was drafted in the 9th round of the 1991 draft by the Seattle Mariners as a pitcher, but he spent his first two seasons with the Aggies as an infielder compiling a .279 batting average with three home runs. Having never pitched for the Aggies prior to the 1991 season, Trey made a full transition his junior year and never appeared anywhere but on the mound for A&M. During that season, appearing in relief except for one start, he went 4-2 with three saves. Trey came close to the majors during his seven seasons in pro baseball pitching as high as AAA for two seasons but never got the call.
Steve was a relief specialist during his entire Aggie career and never started a game. While recording 11 saves for the Aggies during his four years, Steve never lost a game until his senior year, and his .900 winning percentage is 3rd best all-time. Hughes was elected as the team captain both his junior and senior year. An arm injury prematurely ended his collegiate career in 1991 along with any chance of being drafted. He remained active in baseball after graduation serving as a pitching coach for Houston Baptist University, Westbury High School, and Texas Southern University.
Ronald "Ronnie" Allen 1989-1991
Ronnie racked up the 12th most wins of any player during his career at Texas A&M with 23, and his 20 complete games ranks 3rd all-time. His 3-hit shutout of Arkansas in 1989 secured a share of the SWC regular season championship title which bettered his best collegiate start when he 4-hit Southwest Texas in his very first collegiate appearance earlier in the season. In 1990, Ronnie went on to shutout St. John's, Texas Tech, and Rice and earned selection to play for Team USA that summer. By the end of his junior year, he was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 3rd round of the 1991 draft. He spent five years in the minor leagues reaching as high as AAA.
Trey Witte 1989-1991
Trey was drafted in the 9th round of the 1991 draft by the Seattle Mariners as a pitcher, but he spent his first two seasons with the Aggies as an infielder compiling a .279 batting average with three home runs. Having never pitched for the Aggies prior to the 1991 season, Trey made a full transition his junior year and never appeared anywhere but on the mound for A&M. During that season, appearing in relief except for one start, he went 4-2 with three saves. Trey came close to the majors during his seven seasons in pro baseball pitching as high as AAA for two seasons but never got the call.
I forgot to add:
Coming up next week: Omaha Bound!
Coming up next week: Omaha Bound!
Wayne Mueller, Student
Wayne bounced around to several universities including Texas A&M before graduating from Southwest Texas State with a finance degree. After receiving his MBA from Texas A&M-Kingsville, Wayne took on the Manager of Operations role for the independent league Corpus Christi Barracudas that won the Texas-Louisiana League finals in 1994. Wayne's last name may sound familiar because he is the grandson of Louie Mueller, the founder of Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas which is rated as one of the best in the state. After the passing of Louie, and Wayne's father Bobby, Wayne inherited the job of pit master where he continues to serve up tasty barbecue six days a week until 6pm, or until they've run out of food which happens quite a bit.
Jason Bullard 1990-1991
Jason, who came over from San Jacinto Junior College along with Rich Robertson, pitched mainly out of the bullpen for the Aggies going 4-0 while striking out 53 batters in 43.2 innings of work in 1990. During one of his few starts, he pitched a four-hit shutout against St. John's. Jason filled the same role his senior year posting a 7-3 record with a 3.05 ERA. The Pittsburg Pirate's selected Bullard in the 11th round of the 1991 draft, and Jason spent the next ten years playing professional baseball reaching as high as AAA.
David Rollen 1990-1991
David transferred from Panola Junior College where he played against Rich Robertson and Jason Bullard in the JC state tournament. David won the Marion Pugh Spirit award in both 1990 and 1991 while catching for the Aggies. In 1990, he led the Aggies in doubles with 14 and home runs with 8 while batting .297. David was not as productive during his senior year, seeing his average drop to .205, and he lost the starting duties to Blake Pyle. After turning down a draft selection in 1989, David went undrafted after his senior year. David's wife, Amanda, is the older sister of the famed University of Florida baseball player Chuck Hazzard.
Wayne bounced around to several universities including Texas A&M before graduating from Southwest Texas State with a finance degree. After receiving his MBA from Texas A&M-Kingsville, Wayne took on the Manager of Operations role for the independent league Corpus Christi Barracudas that won the Texas-Louisiana League finals in 1994. Wayne's last name may sound familiar because he is the grandson of Louie Mueller, the founder of Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas which is rated as one of the best in the state. After the passing of Louie, and Wayne's father Bobby, Wayne inherited the job of pit master where he continues to serve up tasty barbecue six days a week until 6pm, or until they've run out of food which happens quite a bit.
Jason Bullard 1990-1991
Jason, who came over from San Jacinto Junior College along with Rich Robertson, pitched mainly out of the bullpen for the Aggies going 4-0 while striking out 53 batters in 43.2 innings of work in 1990. During one of his few starts, he pitched a four-hit shutout against St. John's. Jason filled the same role his senior year posting a 7-3 record with a 3.05 ERA. The Pittsburg Pirate's selected Bullard in the 11th round of the 1991 draft, and Jason spent the next ten years playing professional baseball reaching as high as AAA.
David Rollen 1990-1991
David transferred from Panola Junior College where he played against Rich Robertson and Jason Bullard in the JC state tournament. David won the Marion Pugh Spirit award in both 1990 and 1991 while catching for the Aggies. In 1990, he led the Aggies in doubles with 14 and home runs with 8 while batting .297. David was not as productive during his senior year, seeing his average drop to .205, and he lost the starting duties to Blake Pyle. After turning down a draft selection in 1989, David went undrafted after his senior year. David's wife, Amanda, is the older sister of the famed University of Florida baseball player Chuck Hazzard.
quote:This one is my favorite because it includes legendary Texas BBQ and the Corpus Christi Barracudas.
Wayne Mueller, Student
Wayne bounced around to several universities including Texas A&M before graduating from Southwest Texas State with a finance degree. After receiving his MBA from Texas A&M-Kingsville, Wayne took on the Manager of Operations role for the independent league Corpus Christi Barracudas that won the Texas-Louisiana League finals in 1994. Wayne's last name may sound familiar because he is the grandson of Louie Mueller, the founder of Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas which is rated as one of the best in the state. After the passing of Louie, and Wayne's father Bobby, Wayne inherited the job of pit master where he continues to serve up tasty barbecue six days a week until 6pm, or until they've run out of food which happens quite a bit.
Jason Marshall 1989-1992
Cousin of former Aggie player Bryan Little, Jason saw backup duties at shortstop for the 1989 team and hit .414 in 29 at-bats. After assuming the fulltime shortstop duties in 1990, Jason had a two-out two-run single to beat the Longhorns in Austin. He continued to improve with each season, and by his senior year, he was voted the team captain and went on to earn the Marion Pugh Most Valuable Player Award. That season he led the Aggies in hits, runs, total bases, and RBIs and was selected in the 13th round by the Kansas City Royals. After his playing career, Jason returned to Aggieland as a student assistant for two seasons. He is currently serving his 3rd season as the head coach for the UTSA Roadrunners whom the Aggies have beaten all three times the teams have faced off.
Travis Williams 1989-1992
As a true freshman on the 1989 team, Travis drove in 33 batters with six home runs over 49 games. He made the move to third base his sophomore year and was the first MVP of the inaugural Aggie Invitational. During the season, he led the Aggies with eight home runs and 40 RBIs. He again led the Aggies in homeruns in 1991 with seven, but he saw his production fall off during his senior season. Travis went undrafted during his playing career for the Aggies.
Mike Hickey 1991-1992
After one season for the University of Oklahoma, Mike transferred to the A&M campus where he hit .348 leading the Aggies in hits, runs, triples, home runs (tied with Travis Williams) and total bases. During a game against Westmont College, a game the Aggies won 31-2, Mike went 6 for 7 (a still standing Aggie record for most hits in a single game) with 10 RBIs (a record) and 14 total bases (tied for the record). A broken hand limited Mike's playing time during 1992, but he still managed to tie for the Aggie lead in home runs and was drafted in the 12th round by the Seattle Mariners. Mike spent eight years playing professional ball, even appearing on the mound for an inning of work which didn't go so well.
Cousin of former Aggie player Bryan Little, Jason saw backup duties at shortstop for the 1989 team and hit .414 in 29 at-bats. After assuming the fulltime shortstop duties in 1990, Jason had a two-out two-run single to beat the Longhorns in Austin. He continued to improve with each season, and by his senior year, he was voted the team captain and went on to earn the Marion Pugh Most Valuable Player Award. That season he led the Aggies in hits, runs, total bases, and RBIs and was selected in the 13th round by the Kansas City Royals. After his playing career, Jason returned to Aggieland as a student assistant for two seasons. He is currently serving his 3rd season as the head coach for the UTSA Roadrunners whom the Aggies have beaten all three times the teams have faced off.
Travis Williams 1989-1992
As a true freshman on the 1989 team, Travis drove in 33 batters with six home runs over 49 games. He made the move to third base his sophomore year and was the first MVP of the inaugural Aggie Invitational. During the season, he led the Aggies with eight home runs and 40 RBIs. He again led the Aggies in homeruns in 1991 with seven, but he saw his production fall off during his senior season. Travis went undrafted during his playing career for the Aggies.
Mike Hickey 1991-1992
After one season for the University of Oklahoma, Mike transferred to the A&M campus where he hit .348 leading the Aggies in hits, runs, triples, home runs (tied with Travis Williams) and total bases. During a game against Westmont College, a game the Aggies won 31-2, Mike went 6 for 7 (a still standing Aggie record for most hits in a single game) with 10 RBIs (a record) and 14 total bases (tied for the record). A broken hand limited Mike's playing time during 1992, but he still managed to tie for the Aggie lead in home runs and was drafted in the 12th round by the Seattle Mariners. Mike spent eight years playing professional ball, even appearing on the mound for an inning of work which didn't go so well.
Brian Harrison 1991-1992
A redshirt in 1990 after transferring from Northwood Junior College, Brian went 4-0 out of the bullpen including wins over Rice and Texas in 1991. Brian transitioned to the starting rotation for his senior year and went 7-4 with a 2.54 ERA which led the team to earn the C.E "Pat" Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award; the only pitcher not name Jeff Granger to win the award over a three year period. He also led the team in complete games with five. He was a 14th round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals where he spent seven seasons including three in Omaha, their AAA affiliate.
Jason "Hutch" Hutchins 1991-1992
Jason joined A&M out of Golden West Junior College and posted a 4-3 record in eleven starts. For his senior season, Jason was strictly a bullpen arm with a 2.08 ERA. After the 1992 season, Jason signed with the newly formed Colorado Rockies where we spent four seasons before an arm injury forced an early retirement. Hutchins came back to A&M to finish his degree and has assisted the baseball team in various capacities ever since. For several years, his son Jace served as the bat boy, and for the 2015 season, Hutch is now entering his 17th year as Director of Operations.
Brian Thomas 1990-1993
After finishing as the second best hitter on the 1990 team as a true freshman, Brian upped his batting average .064 points to .354, but still finished as the second best hitter in 1991. During 1991, he also cranked out four home runs and swiped seventeen bases. Brian was selected as co-captain of the 1992 squad, but he struggled at the plate for the first time in his career. He did not let that season faze him as he captained the 1993 team back to Omaha for the first time in 29 years. He led the team in hits (79), batting average (.383), runs (68), doubles (16), triples (9 - tied for 1st all-time), home runs (15), RBIs (55), and walks (50). Needless to say those stats earned him the Marion Pugh MVP award. Brian finished his career with the most career walks in A&M history with 140. The 1993 season earned him a 10th round selection by the Texas Rangers. Brian spent four seasons in the minors reaching AAA before calling it quits.
A redshirt in 1990 after transferring from Northwood Junior College, Brian went 4-0 out of the bullpen including wins over Rice and Texas in 1991. Brian transitioned to the starting rotation for his senior year and went 7-4 with a 2.54 ERA which led the team to earn the C.E "Pat" Olsen Outstanding Pitcher award; the only pitcher not name Jeff Granger to win the award over a three year period. He also led the team in complete games with five. He was a 14th round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals where he spent seven seasons including three in Omaha, their AAA affiliate.
Jason "Hutch" Hutchins 1991-1992
Jason joined A&M out of Golden West Junior College and posted a 4-3 record in eleven starts. For his senior season, Jason was strictly a bullpen arm with a 2.08 ERA. After the 1992 season, Jason signed with the newly formed Colorado Rockies where we spent four seasons before an arm injury forced an early retirement. Hutchins came back to A&M to finish his degree and has assisted the baseball team in various capacities ever since. For several years, his son Jace served as the bat boy, and for the 2015 season, Hutch is now entering his 17th year as Director of Operations.
Brian Thomas 1990-1993
After finishing as the second best hitter on the 1990 team as a true freshman, Brian upped his batting average .064 points to .354, but still finished as the second best hitter in 1991. During 1991, he also cranked out four home runs and swiped seventeen bases. Brian was selected as co-captain of the 1992 squad, but he struggled at the plate for the first time in his career. He did not let that season faze him as he captained the 1993 team back to Omaha for the first time in 29 years. He led the team in hits (79), batting average (.383), runs (68), doubles (16), triples (9 - tied for 1st all-time), home runs (15), RBIs (55), and walks (50). Needless to say those stats earned him the Marion Pugh MVP award. Brian finished his career with the most career walks in A&M history with 140. The 1993 season earned him a 10th round selection by the Texas Rangers. Brian spent four seasons in the minors reaching AAA before calling it quits.
Talk about memory lane. Scattered flashbacks....Yale Lary lived in the same building in splinter village as my Dad after the war. Use to watch him practice punting in between buildings. I would go retrieve. Wally Moon lived across the hall from us in 1950 and played pitch with me often, I was 4. And Robert...not Bobby...Bonner was a fricking artist in the field and at the plate. Ask Terry Pikka about Roberts play on him on old Clark Field his freshman year. The mid 70's and late 80's were special and now this???? 2015! Why not us? Thanks for the memories. Only important pic missing is C.E. Pat Olsen and his roomate Lou Gerhig. in 1923. Sad story is Pat's incredible baseball memoribilia collection.... that he intended for A&M.... being broken up an sold by his son. Should be on display at Olsen. Carry on with Olsen magic. See ya in the second deck.
Jeff Granger 1991-1993
Jeff came to A&M straight out of high school after setting the Texas high school record of getting a hit in 42 straight games, but it was as a pitcher that he set his mark for the Aggies. After red-shirting the fall season for the Aggie football team, Granger grabbed the first of his two C.E. "Pat" Olsen Outstanding Pitcher awards as a true freshman. He did so by setting a then school record of striking out 121 batters as he went 9-2 for the year including a one-hit eleven strike out complete game shutout of Arizona. He also strung together back-to-back-to-back complete game victories over Rice, Texas, and TCU. As an encore that year, he was the backup quarterback for the Aggies completing 22 of 48 passes. He followed up his freshman year by beating his own strikeout record by sending 130 batters back to the bench. One of his seven victories that year came from a 10-inning complete game shutout of Mississippi State. That fall, Jeff was the starting quarterbackfor the Aggies during their first eight games en route to a 12-1 season. Jeff was almost untouchable his junior year as he went 15-3 and, yet again, broke the single season strikeout record with 150; 21 of those 150 strikeouts came in one game against Lubbock Christian. Granger was a big part of the Aggies' return to Omaha, and he secured only the 2nd Aggie victory in their history at the College World Series pitching 8.0 innings against Kansas. By the time he left campus, he was ranked 3rd all-time in wins with 31 and 1st in strikeouts with 401 (now 2nd). He was selected as the 5th overall pick in the 1993 draft by the Kansas City Royals, and he made his MLB debut only a few months later. Many critics think Jeff was rushed too fast to the majors as he struggled at the MLB level and never became the star many thought he would be.
Kelly "Lunch" Wunsch 1991-1993
Kelly was a bit wild his freshman year posting a 4-6 record with a 5.81 ERA, but he improved as the season went on. He earned the 3rd spot in starting rotation his sophomore year and went 4-3 with a 3.95 ERA while striking out 58 batters in 54.2 innings. He still struggled with his command as he walked 33 batters that year. His command issues didn't faze him his junior year as, despite walking 54 batters in 87.0 innings, Kelly went 7-2 while striking out 110, finishing his A&M career as one of 16 Aggies in the 200-K club. This propelled him to a late first round draft pick in 1993 by the Milwaukee Brewers. Unlike Jeff, Kelly took a long path to the majors. He spent 7 seasons in the minors before debuting out of spring training in 2000. As a left-handed submarine style relief specialist, Kelly managed a six year MLB career. One notable fact about Kelly is that one of the baseballs he used in a 1994 minor league game with the Beloit Brewers ended up in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as it was used to record the 5th strikeout he registered in one inning; he was so effectively wild that even his catcher couldn't locate his curveball.
Eric Gonzalez 1992-1993
A switch-hitting transfer from Texas Southmost Junior College (UT-Brownsville), he manned the leadoff spot in the lineup and played mostly leftfield for the Aggies in 1992. That year he batted .287 and led the Aggies with 14 stolen bases. The next season, he batted .313 with eight homeruns and manned 2nd base for the CWS team. After his collegiate career, Eric played baseball for the independent league Corpus Christi Barracudas and Abilene Prairie Dogs. Both the Barracudas (1994) and the Prairie Dogs (1996) won the Texas-Louisiana League Championship when Eric was on the team. After his playing career, Eric became a baseball coach at both the high school and college level, and he is currently the head coach for the Laredo Community College Palominos. His nephew, Lee May Gonzalez, is currently a freshman pitcher for the Aggies having pitched 1.0 inning in his only appearance for the Ags.
(I think the A&M uniforms from the 1993 season as seen above in Jeff and Kelly's cards are probably my favorite)
Jeff came to A&M straight out of high school after setting the Texas high school record of getting a hit in 42 straight games, but it was as a pitcher that he set his mark for the Aggies. After red-shirting the fall season for the Aggie football team, Granger grabbed the first of his two C.E. "Pat" Olsen Outstanding Pitcher awards as a true freshman. He did so by setting a then school record of striking out 121 batters as he went 9-2 for the year including a one-hit eleven strike out complete game shutout of Arizona. He also strung together back-to-back-to-back complete game victories over Rice, Texas, and TCU. As an encore that year, he was the backup quarterback for the Aggies completing 22 of 48 passes. He followed up his freshman year by beating his own strikeout record by sending 130 batters back to the bench. One of his seven victories that year came from a 10-inning complete game shutout of Mississippi State. That fall, Jeff was the starting quarterbackfor the Aggies during their first eight games en route to a 12-1 season. Jeff was almost untouchable his junior year as he went 15-3 and, yet again, broke the single season strikeout record with 150; 21 of those 150 strikeouts came in one game against Lubbock Christian. Granger was a big part of the Aggies' return to Omaha, and he secured only the 2nd Aggie victory in their history at the College World Series pitching 8.0 innings against Kansas. By the time he left campus, he was ranked 3rd all-time in wins with 31 and 1st in strikeouts with 401 (now 2nd). He was selected as the 5th overall pick in the 1993 draft by the Kansas City Royals, and he made his MLB debut only a few months later. Many critics think Jeff was rushed too fast to the majors as he struggled at the MLB level and never became the star many thought he would be.
Kelly "Lunch" Wunsch 1991-1993
Kelly was a bit wild his freshman year posting a 4-6 record with a 5.81 ERA, but he improved as the season went on. He earned the 3rd spot in starting rotation his sophomore year and went 4-3 with a 3.95 ERA while striking out 58 batters in 54.2 innings. He still struggled with his command as he walked 33 batters that year. His command issues didn't faze him his junior year as, despite walking 54 batters in 87.0 innings, Kelly went 7-2 while striking out 110, finishing his A&M career as one of 16 Aggies in the 200-K club. This propelled him to a late first round draft pick in 1993 by the Milwaukee Brewers. Unlike Jeff, Kelly took a long path to the majors. He spent 7 seasons in the minors before debuting out of spring training in 2000. As a left-handed submarine style relief specialist, Kelly managed a six year MLB career. One notable fact about Kelly is that one of the baseballs he used in a 1994 minor league game with the Beloit Brewers ended up in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as it was used to record the 5th strikeout he registered in one inning; he was so effectively wild that even his catcher couldn't locate his curveball.
Eric Gonzalez 1992-1993
A switch-hitting transfer from Texas Southmost Junior College (UT-Brownsville), he manned the leadoff spot in the lineup and played mostly leftfield for the Aggies in 1992. That year he batted .287 and led the Aggies with 14 stolen bases. The next season, he batted .313 with eight homeruns and manned 2nd base for the CWS team. After his collegiate career, Eric played baseball for the independent league Corpus Christi Barracudas and Abilene Prairie Dogs. Both the Barracudas (1994) and the Prairie Dogs (1996) won the Texas-Louisiana League Championship when Eric was on the team. After his playing career, Eric became a baseball coach at both the high school and college level, and he is currently the head coach for the Laredo Community College Palominos. His nephew, Lee May Gonzalez, is currently a freshman pitcher for the Aggies having pitched 1.0 inning in his only appearance for the Ags.
(I think the A&M uniforms from the 1993 season as seen above in Jeff and Kelly's cards are probably my favorite)
Robert Lewis 1992-1993
Robert transferred from Los Angeles Harbor Junior College to play for the Aggies in 1992 but was redshirted. When he finally settled in as the everyday catcher, Robert responded with a .343 average with five home runs and 31 RBIs en route to a CWS appearance. In the Ag's CWS elimination game against Long Beach, Lewis might have helped prevent the Aggie collapse in the 7th inning, but he lost the ball in a collision at home plate allowing the first of four runs to score that inning; Long Beach went on to win 6-2. He was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 17th round of the 1993 draft, but struggled in his three seasonsin the minors.
Rob Trimble 1991-1993
A third generation Aggie, Rob sat out the 1991 season as a red shirt. In 1992, Rob started 51 games as a catcher and hit .274. He picked up a 2-out ninth inning game winning RBI to topple Houston early on in the season. In 1993, Rob improved to .355 and made an appearance on the mound pitching 1.0 inning without allowing a run. The New York Yankees tapped Rob as their 8th round pick in 1993, where he spent three seasons in the minor leagues. Rob eventually married one of the Diamond Darlings, and when the couple had twin daughters, Rob named them Anna and Marie because their initials could spell A.T.M. (without a bevel).
Lew Ford, Student
Lew Ford came to the Texas A&M campus on an academic scholarship out of high school. After walking on to the baseball team, Lew decided to transfer to Seminole Junior College instead of redshirting before moving on to Dallas Baptist where he batted .507 as a junior but was not drafted. After returning to DBU for another year, Lew was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 12th round of the 1999 draft. Despite tales of his genius (he was academically gifted), he is known in the minors for burning himself with a hotel iron while attempting to iron a shirt he was wearing, and he once mistakenly took a plane to Portland, Maine instead of Portland, Oregon when reporting for a minor league assignment. He was also called upon to pinch hit for the Minnesota Twins once, but after lacing up his shoes in the clubhouse, Lew ran the wrong way down the hallway and Ron Gardenhire had to sub in someone else. Lew spent several years in the majors as well as time in the Japanese Nippon League and Mexican Baseball League.
Coming up Next Week: The end of the SWC
Robert transferred from Los Angeles Harbor Junior College to play for the Aggies in 1992 but was redshirted. When he finally settled in as the everyday catcher, Robert responded with a .343 average with five home runs and 31 RBIs en route to a CWS appearance. In the Ag's CWS elimination game against Long Beach, Lewis might have helped prevent the Aggie collapse in the 7th inning, but he lost the ball in a collision at home plate allowing the first of four runs to score that inning; Long Beach went on to win 6-2. He was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 17th round of the 1993 draft, but struggled in his three seasonsin the minors.
Rob Trimble 1991-1993
A third generation Aggie, Rob sat out the 1991 season as a red shirt. In 1992, Rob started 51 games as a catcher and hit .274. He picked up a 2-out ninth inning game winning RBI to topple Houston early on in the season. In 1993, Rob improved to .355 and made an appearance on the mound pitching 1.0 inning without allowing a run. The New York Yankees tapped Rob as their 8th round pick in 1993, where he spent three seasons in the minor leagues. Rob eventually married one of the Diamond Darlings, and when the couple had twin daughters, Rob named them Anna and Marie because their initials could spell A.T.M. (without a bevel).
Lew Ford, Student
Lew Ford came to the Texas A&M campus on an academic scholarship out of high school. After walking on to the baseball team, Lew decided to transfer to Seminole Junior College instead of redshirting before moving on to Dallas Baptist where he batted .507 as a junior but was not drafted. After returning to DBU for another year, Lew was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 12th round of the 1999 draft. Despite tales of his genius (he was academically gifted), he is known in the minors for burning himself with a hotel iron while attempting to iron a shirt he was wearing, and he once mistakenly took a plane to Portland, Maine instead of Portland, Oregon when reporting for a minor league assignment. He was also called upon to pinch hit for the Minnesota Twins once, but after lacing up his shoes in the clubhouse, Lew ran the wrong way down the hallway and Ron Gardenhire had to sub in someone else. Lew spent several years in the majors as well as time in the Japanese Nippon League and Mexican Baseball League.
Coming up Next Week: The end of the SWC
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