The heroes of Harding’s baseball past won’t be coming out of a cornfield this time, but from all over as the annual Alumni game takes place at the Jerry Moore Field this weekend. Every year Harding invites past baseball players, coaches and managers back to the school to play in a baseball game during Harding’s Baseball Alumni Weekend. Coach Patrick McGaha, head baseball coach, said that this game is a really good time for the past players and staff to reconnect with each other and have fun. The matchup tomorrow starts at 10 a.m. and will consist of alumni baseball players only.
“I think they enjoy it because it lets them come back and see all of the new facilities, the changes and meet the new players on the baseball team,” McGaha said. “I think the alumni enjoy it mostly because it allows them to reconnect and spend time with each other. They get to see people they haven’t seen in a long time.”
Shane Kinnear, redshirt freshman outfielder, has a father who used to play on the team as well, who is coming back to participate in this year’s game.
“I think it’s fun and I enjoy it,” Kinnear said. “It’s fun to get to watch him relive his old glory days with his teammates.”
McGaha said that they had hoped to put together a special baseball game for just the 1985 and 1986 Harding University baseball teams, but were not able to do so this year. According to McGaha, currently 24 alumni have signed up to participate in the game this year, although they are expecting to have about 30 alumni players on Saturday for the game.
This year the baseball team will honor coach Dick Johnson and the 1985 and 1986 baseball teams. Both of these baseball teams won the NAIA District 17 Tournament Championship and went on to play in the Area V Regional Tournament, making them the only teams to do so in Harding’s history, a record that both teams still possess. This year’s Baseball Alumni Weekend will also serve as the 25th year reunion for these two teams. The team players of ’85 and ’86 will be recognized and introduced during the halftime show of the Bisons’ home football game against Southwest Oklahoma State University on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m.
Also taking place on campus during the alumni weekend will be a golf tournament on Saturday for the incoming alumni at The Course at River Oaks. Then later Friday evening the baseball department will hold its 2012 Bisons in Game Two of their Black and Gold Fall Series at the Jerry Moore Field at 6:30 p.m. and another game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m, also at the Jerry Moore Field.
All alumni are welcome to come out to watch and support their fellow classmates at this special event.
