By: Rashad Milligan
As soon as I posted my 2014 memories, of course I forgot many more. What about my High School Classmate winning College World Series MVP? Or my first team ever covered in my career went all the way to the national championship game lead by a record breaking home run hitter? Or the 13 year-old female athlete of the year that made us forget who Gabby Douglas was? Orrr…the fact that “The Captain” hung up his gloves and bat one last time in Yankee Stadium, with a walk-off?
The 2014 College World Series had Cinderella stories in more ways than one straight out of Georgia in 2014. The evolving campus and university that is Kennesaw State saw their baseball Owls go further in the tournament than anyone besides perhaps the actual team expected, as they earned themselves a spot in the World Series bracket. Another interesting plot line in this years’ series is that former TCU Pitcher Brandon Finnegan became the first player to play in both the College World Series and MLB World Series (with the Kansas City Royals) in the same year. The second headline from the state of Georgia however would be then Sophomore Shortstop Dansby Swanson, the Vanderbilt All-American standout from Marietta, Ga. Swanson would lead the Commodores seemingly game-by-game, inning-by-inning, and round-by-round with his leadership and play as he earned a national championship and the series’ title of Most Valuable Player.
The Little League World Series didn’t lack any headlines as well, when 13 Philadelphia pitcher Mo’Ne Davis took the world by storm. Davis was clearly the team’s best player, reaching record-breaking pitching speeds…and not to mention that Davis is also a female playing among these young males. Davis would dominate the headlines daily during the tournament and every eye played close attention to her pitch count and days of rest to see when she could legally appear again on the mound to work her magic. Her mature demeanor throughout these 15 minutes of fame was very impressive and her most memorable quote was when she compared her fastball to Dodgers CY Young Winner Clayton Kershaw and her curveball to “Mo’Ne Davis.” The Jackie Robinson Little League team also received some shine during this tournament as the first all-black team to make the little league World Series in history, led by self-proclaimed “ladies man” Pierre Thomas, who once blasted 3 home-runs in a single tournament game. The Jackie Robinson would go on to win the American title in the tournament, before losing in the international championship game.
My first official gig ever was to serve as a sports writer for the student paper at Valdosta State University. I took this title very seriously, because diehard sports fans and SportsCenter fans know that Valdosta, Ga. Reigns as “TitleTown USA” officially since 2008. My editor came all the way from Colorado to go to school and write in TitleTown because he took the title so seriously. So, I was assigned to cover the Lady Blazers Softball team. And boy, was I in for a treat. The team was led by UGA transfer and Senior Shelby Altman and Junior Courtney Albritton. Albritton was a walking legend, when I began to cover the team, she was then in a race with West Georgia slugger Nicole Yancey for the conference All-Time home-run title. The funniest part of the “chase” however was that Yancey was graduating in about a month….and Albritton had an entire season of eligibility in front of her. My first practice I watched, Albritton leaped over the fence to steal one home run in center field before diving to steal a sure RBI. She won national player of the week honors week after week and was the most humble academic scholar one person could interview. I’ll always remember Albritton’s secret of not really focusing on how well she does, but just trying to help her team win every game. The Blazers also fit the slipper of Cinderella in their national tournament as well, fighting all the way to the final inning of the national championship game. Albritton finished the season beating Yancey and currently awaits to begin her senior season as conference home-run champ and to also begin the quest of smashing the handful of home runs she needs to become the national all-time home run record holder. Courtney Albritton may very just be the greatest active athlete you’ve never heard of, well at least until now.
Derek Jeter is an icon. Not only as a player, but as a celebrity. Number two on the field, but number in so many of our hearts, the captain at shortstop for the New York Yankees, even made his most infamous arch enemies tip their caps to him in respect. After winning five titles and holding his fair share of records within one of the most historic American Sports Franchises, it all came down to September 2014. The Yankees had a disappointing season to say the least, plague by injuries and the season-long suspension of Superstar Alex Rodriguez, they were long eliminated from playoff contention. So this night, the final home game of the regular season, also guaranteed the final home game of Jeter’s career. And in what other way could he send a sell-out, star studded crowd off than with a walk off RBI. Here’s to RE2PECT for the captain. Here’s to 2014.
As soon as I posted my 2014 memories, of course I forgot many more. What about my High School Classmate winning College World Series MVP? Or my first team ever covered in my career went all the way to the national championship game lead by a record breaking home run hitter? Or the 13 year-old female athlete of the year that made us forget who Gabby Douglas was? Orrr…the fact that “The Captain” hung up his gloves and bat one last time in Yankee Stadium, with a walk-off?
The 2014 College World Series had Cinderella stories in more ways than one straight out of Georgia in 2014. The evolving campus and university that is Kennesaw State saw their baseball Owls go further in the tournament than anyone besides perhaps the actual team expected, as they earned themselves a spot in the World Series bracket. Another interesting plot line in this years’ series is that former TCU Pitcher Brandon Finnegan became the first player to play in both the College World Series and MLB World Series (with the Kansas City Royals) in the same year. The second headline from the state of Georgia however would be then Sophomore Shortstop Dansby Swanson, the Vanderbilt All-American standout from Marietta, Ga. Swanson would lead the Commodores seemingly game-by-game, inning-by-inning, and round-by-round with his leadership and play as he earned a national championship and the series’ title of Most Valuable Player.
The Little League World Series didn’t lack any headlines as well, when 13 Philadelphia pitcher Mo’Ne Davis took the world by storm. Davis was clearly the team’s best player, reaching record-breaking pitching speeds…and not to mention that Davis is also a female playing among these young males. Davis would dominate the headlines daily during the tournament and every eye played close attention to her pitch count and days of rest to see when she could legally appear again on the mound to work her magic. Her mature demeanor throughout these 15 minutes of fame was very impressive and her most memorable quote was when she compared her fastball to Dodgers CY Young Winner Clayton Kershaw and her curveball to “Mo’Ne Davis.” The Jackie Robinson Little League team also received some shine during this tournament as the first all-black team to make the little league World Series in history, led by self-proclaimed “ladies man” Pierre Thomas, who once blasted 3 home-runs in a single tournament game. The Jackie Robinson would go on to win the American title in the tournament, before losing in the international championship game.
My first official gig ever was to serve as a sports writer for the student paper at Valdosta State University. I took this title very seriously, because diehard sports fans and SportsCenter fans know that Valdosta, Ga. Reigns as “TitleTown USA” officially since 2008. My editor came all the way from Colorado to go to school and write in TitleTown because he took the title so seriously. So, I was assigned to cover the Lady Blazers Softball team. And boy, was I in for a treat. The team was led by UGA transfer and Senior Shelby Altman and Junior Courtney Albritton. Albritton was a walking legend, when I began to cover the team, she was then in a race with West Georgia slugger Nicole Yancey for the conference All-Time home-run title. The funniest part of the “chase” however was that Yancey was graduating in about a month….and Albritton had an entire season of eligibility in front of her. My first practice I watched, Albritton leaped over the fence to steal one home run in center field before diving to steal a sure RBI. She won national player of the week honors week after week and was the most humble academic scholar one person could interview. I’ll always remember Albritton’s secret of not really focusing on how well she does, but just trying to help her team win every game. The Blazers also fit the slipper of Cinderella in their national tournament as well, fighting all the way to the final inning of the national championship game. Albritton finished the season beating Yancey and currently awaits to begin her senior season as conference home-run champ and to also begin the quest of smashing the handful of home runs she needs to become the national all-time home run record holder. Courtney Albritton may very just be the greatest active athlete you’ve never heard of, well at least until now.
Derek Jeter is an icon. Not only as a player, but as a celebrity. Number two on the field, but number in so many of our hearts, the captain at shortstop for the New York Yankees, even made his most infamous arch enemies tip their caps to him in respect. After winning five titles and holding his fair share of records within one of the most historic American Sports Franchises, it all came down to September 2014. The Yankees had a disappointing season to say the least, plague by injuries and the season-long suspension of Superstar Alex Rodriguez, they were long eliminated from playoff contention. So this night, the final home game of the regular season, also guaranteed the final home game of Jeter’s career. And in what other way could he send a sell-out, star studded crowd off than with a walk off RBI. Here’s to RE2PECT for the captain. Here’s to 2014.