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 Junction, Colorado. In those days, there were no divisions and only one World Series. No Mississippi team had ever won an Eastern District Tournament or played in the JUCO World Series. Delgado had done it once.
When I arrived at home plate to exchange lineups, Delgado’s legendary coach Louis “Rags” Scheuermann was holding an unfolded road map (long before map on an I-Phone) and asking the umpires what would be the best route for them to take from Meridian to Greenville, South Carolina, where the district tournament would be played the following week.
Knowing everything about Rags, I knew right away that he was playing mind games. I even looked down to see if he was wearing his bedroom slippers like he had often done through the years at Loyola University and Delgado.
Although he wasn’t asking me, I joked that his only possible route to South Carolina “was through Raymond.”
I laughed. He was not amused. I always had great respect for the teacher and thought the map thing was pretty ballsy and great show business, but it had nothing to do with what would happen in the game.
We won 7-5 and the Dolphins boarded the bus and headed on that familiar route back home on I-59 South. I just know he must have thought about the going through Raymond line on that long ride home. I bet he smiled about it. Probably not.
The win was the first Region 23 Championship for Hinds in a 40-14 season which also produced South Division, State, and Eastern District championships.
No Mississippi team had ever done that before.
In loving memory of Louis “Rags” Scheuermann (1923-1997)
Rick Clarke's Diary of a Mad Baseball Coach 