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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, February 17, 2008
By Brian Bailey |
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LeClair influence
still profound at ECU
By
Brian Bailey
©2009 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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Brandon Henderson |
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(Photo: ECU SID) |
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Baseball’s version of
“Meet the Pirates” is
always an emotional
affair.
Each year, one player
leaves the gathering
with a place forever
etched in the history of
East Carolina Pirate
baseball.
This year, Brandon
Henderson was named to
wear the No. 23 to honor
former ECU coach Keith
LeClair.
LeClair coached the
Pirates for only five
seasons. He rang up a
212-96-1 record, quickly
becoming the second
winningest coach in the
school’s rich baseball
history.
LeClair led the Pirates
to four straight NCAA
Regional appearances,
three Colonial Athletic
Association
championships and one
Conference USA title.
LeClair fought the
bravest of fights
against amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (also
known as ALS and Lou
Gehrig's Disease), a
debilitating disease
that would eventually
claim his life.
Each year, the past
"winners" that can make
it back to Greenville
take part in the
ceremony. Drew Schieber,
last year’s recipient,
presented Henderson with
the “23” jersey.
“When Coach (Godwin) sat
me down and told me
about the jersey, it was
just the greatest
feeling,” said
Henderson. “To wear the
23 jersey this year is
really one of the
greatest honors of my
entire life.”
LeClair’s footprint
steps deep into both
baseball and life
itself. Many of his
former players honor him
each year by also
wearing the “23” jersey.
Joe Hastings at Boston
College wears number 23.
Cliff Godwin at Central
Florida will bring his
23 jersey to Greenville
for that three-game
series in March. Erik
Bakich wears 23 at
Vanderbilt. I’m sure
there are others.
“It’s always a little
emotional,” said head
coach Billy Godwin.
“Especially with guys
like Brandon, and Drew
Schieber, and guys
you’ve worked with. You
see their character and
what they stand for.
It’s just a great day
for all Pirates, for
Brandon Henderson and
for all of our players.”
I asked Coach Godwin
what Keith LeClair still
brings to this program
every day.
“I think he reminds us
daily that we have to go
out and play like a
champion,” said Godwin.
“A champion to me is not
just going out on the
field and working hard.
It’s doing the right
things off the field, in
the classroom and being
the best person you can
be.”
East Carolina opens
the 2009 baseball
season
this weekend with a
three-game series at
Clark-LeClair Stadium
against Monmouth.
Henderson and Godwin
agree that this team
needs to play a real
game.
“I’ve got a veteran team
that is chomping at the
bit for sure,” said
Godwin. “We’ll take
these next couple of
days to get some work
in, but we’re ready to
go.”
“I think we’re all ready
to see a different
uniform,” said
Henderson. Henderson
will debut that No. 23
jersey this Friday
afternoon.
Henderson put the team's
top goal into context
regarding LeClair.
“I know when we make it
to Omaha," he said,
"that Coach LeClair will
be right there with us…”
Henderson is the fifth
senior to wear the 23
jersey. He is the
seventh Pirate overall,
joining Ben Sanderson
(2003), Jamie Paige
(2004), Brian Cavanaugh
(2005), Adam Witter
(2006), Chris Powell
(2007), and Drew
Schieber from last year
in this elite group.
BB
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