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Bailey's
Take on Pirate Sports
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From the Anchor Desk
Friday, February 22, 2002
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By Brian Bailey
Sports Anchor of WNCT-TV 9
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LeClair Wants Spotlight
to Shift to His Team
©2002 Bonesville.net
Inspiration from the
Dugout
You think you had a bad day at work. The boss got on your case and it wasn’t
your fault. Does it make you feel a little sorry for yourself?
The next time that happens, take a step back and think about the East
Carolina baseball coach.
Keith LeClair is fighting for his life. There’s no easy way to say it.
Coach LeClair missed the first weekend series for the baseball team after
undergoing a medical procedure to help him cope better with his illness.
Word is that the Coach still managed to stop by the field during the
weekend, just to check on the score.
LeClair returned to the dugout on Wednesday for the VCU game. His
coordination skills have deteriorated rapidly. His smile is still there,
though.
LeClair is in search of a miracle.
“He’s a great inspiration for our team,” said Pirate assistant coach Kevin
McMullan. “He’s such a great baseball person. He helped out a couple of guys
in the VCU game. I was really proud that the team came through for LeClair.”
LeClair hasn’t said publicly, but he really wants the focus to be more on
the team, and not his health problems.
It’s a very rare type of story. On the one hand, fans are interested in the
health and welfare of their beloved baseball coach. On the other hand, the
coach’s privacy is a very big concern.
I
say you error on the side of the coach. If he doesn’t want his health issue
to be a story, then it won’t be.
LeClair missing the first weekend of the season was a story. LeClair’s first
game back was worthy of a mention. Now, though, the focus will center on the
team.
Everyone is just glad to see Coach LeClair back in the Pirate dugout, where
he should be. He is an inspiration to us all!
Pirates Still Have Late-inning Magic
If
you haven’t made it out to Harrington Field this year, you are missing a
real treat.
This 2002 baseball squad is very exciting to watch. After four games, the
Pirates are undefeated, winning two of the four games with late rallies.
Wednesday night’s win was typical of Pirate baseball and the “never say die”
attitude. East Carolina trailed into the eighth inning, when Luke Cherry
became an instant hero with a three-run double.
Because of the weekday afternoon start time; the crowd grew larger as folks
began to get off of work for the day.
They were not disappointed.
East Carolina not only won the game; they beat an old CAA rival
in the process.
It
was well worth the price of admission, especially for the later arrivals,
many of whom came through the gate without a ticket.
Ladies Start Swinging the Bats
This Weekend
I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t always been a softball fan. I
didn’t understand that game of slapping and bunting, and so I didn’t really
follow East Carolina’s ladies on the diamond.
Many of you already know that I have a 14-year old daughter who I have
coached in fast-pitch for the last five seasons. It is a great sport, and
more like baseball than I ever thought it was.
As
a coach I try to learn something about the sport every single day. In fact,
I’ve picked Tracey Kee’s brain a number of times about hitting, strategy,
you name it.
Coach Kee is one of the top young coaches in the nation. She will take this
ECU team as far as they can go, despite the budget restraints on the
program.
Kee and the Lady Pirates open this weekend with a tournament in Greenville.
If you get the chance, and you’re going to the baseball game anyway, why not
take in a few innings of softball.
ECU opens the Pirate
Classic with a pair of games on Friday, against Delaware at 1:00 p.m. and versus UMBC at 3:00 p.m. Both games will be played at the ECU Softball Field. The rest of the
schedule will be announced after Friday’s play.
Check out the softball
team. I think you’ll be pleasantly
surprised!
Send an e-mail message to
Brian Bailey.
Click here to dig into Brian Bailey's Bonesville
archives.
02/23/2007 01:22:11 AM
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