(#85) Commissioner Mac McClellan presents trophy after Eagles defeat Pearl River 5-3 for the 1989 MACJC State Championship at Mississippi College. The Region 23 Championship and Eastern District Championship and a trip to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado were to follow in the next 3 weeks. George McQuitter, Dr. Clyde Muse, Renee … Continue reading The Historic Path to Grand Junction – 1989 (Part 1)
Category: 1989
Stories about the famous 1989 Hinds Baseball Team.
Juco Playoff Field Still Lacks 1 Entry
(#146) (Title from Lee Baker, Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer, May, 1989) The participants for the 1989 MACJC State Tournament had been decided, except for one. The Northwest Mississippi Rangers and the Mississippi Delta Trojans were the participants from the North Division, while Hinds had the number 1 spot in the South. But the second spot from … Continue reading Juco Playoff Field Still Lacks 1 Entry
The Most Famous Home Run in Hinds History (Video)
(#71) The most famous home run in Hinds baseball history (and there have been a few) is Terry Gray's three-run bomb over the 410 sign in the first game of the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado; May, 1989. (Thanks to Jeff Long for the 28 year old VHS tapes and to Jake Clarke … Continue reading The Most Famous Home Run in Hinds History (Video)
1989 – The Turning Point
(#67) Every great season has a definite "turning point," when something happens to change the direction and fortunes of a team. Very few teams go from start to finish without having to make some adjustments, especially baseball teams with such a long season and so many games. During the historical and record-setting 1989 season, I … Continue reading 1989 – The Turning Point
All He Does is Win
(#48) The great Jeff Long was the quick-footed, sure handed shortstop, leadoff hitter, clutch performer, team captain, and leader during the 1988 and 1989 seasons at Hinds. He was gritty, savvy, and ballsy. The Clinton High School grad received the Outstanding Performance Award for Defense during the 1988 season when the Eagles won the South … Continue reading All He Does is Win
The Dynamic Duo
(#44) The 1989 Hinds Eagles had a roster full of productive players, most having the best seasons of their lives. But when looking closely at the numbers, the combined efforts of two really jump off the page, one hitting in the three hole and the other batting clean-up. Terre Woods (T), was a catcher/infielder from … Continue reading The Dynamic Duo
The Catch
(#38) Latest Revision- June, 2024 Mississippi JUCOs have reached the ultimate goal of playing in the World Series a total of 27 times. I just want to let every one know that no team did it, until Hinds Community College did it first, with Mississippi’s first trip to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, … Continue reading The Catch
Rip’s Ford Accordian
(#35) During the spring of 1989, we had returned late on Sunday night after winning Hinds' first Region 23 Tournament in Meridian. We were traveling in a 15 passenger school van that I parked in front of what used to be called the Visitor's Quarters, the Hinds Hilton, on the west side of Joe Renfroe … Continue reading Rip’s Ford Accordian
Rags and the Map
(#21) (Most recent fine-tuning, October, 2024) We were playing Delgado Community College (NOLA) in the championship game of the 1989 Region 23 Tournament in Meridian. We were undefeated, so the Dolphins would have to beat us twice to advance to the Eastern District Tournament the following week. The winner of that four team, double elimination tournament would advance to the JUCO World Series in Grand … Continue reading Rags and the Map
Season of a Lifetime
(#19) During the 1989 season at Hinds, a converted side-winding closer named Mark Anders from Ouachita Christian High School in Monroe, Louisiana, pitched in 35 of our 54 games, won eleven games (11 wins and 2 losses), saved a HCC record nine games (a record broken by my son Josh twenty years later), had an earned run average of 1.75, … Continue reading Season of a Lifetime
Rick Clarke's Diary of a Mad Baseball Coach 