The Dynamic Duo

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 Gary, Indiana and Noah James (RIP), was a first baseman from Hammond, Louisiana.

This dynamic duo combined for astronomical offensive numbers as the 1989 Eagles made Mississippi history by winning the South Division Championship, the MACJC State Championship, the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament and the NJCAA Eastern District Tournament, and participating in the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.

The Eagles won Hinds’ first Region 23 Championship. The Eastern District Championship and the JUCO World Series appearance were the first for any Mississippi team.

No team in Mississippi had ever won division, state, region, district championships and also played in the JUCO World Series in the same season. And decades later, no other team has ever done all five things.

Together T. and Rip hit .389 (115 hits in 399 at bats), scored 97 runs, hit 24 doubles, 7 triples, 31 home runs, had 145 RBI, and stole 36 bases.

Individually Terre batted .424, with 12 HR, 70 RBI, set a team record for hits with 84, hit 12 doubles, 6 triples, and stole 32 bases.

Noah batted .357, hit a team-leading 19 HR, had 75 RBI, and hit 12 doubles… and yep, he stole 4 bases.

Terre’s solo home run in the top of the ninth inning was the winning margin in a 7-6 win over Aquinas Junior College (TN) in the Eastern District Tournament and put us in a winner-take-all championship game.

Noah drove in the winning run in the championship game with a 2-run single in the bottom of the seventh for a 5-3 win to send the Eagles “literally” flying to Grand Junction.

Add the efforts and production of their teammates to the equation, the great mindset and determination, the mental and physical toughness, offensively, defensively, and on the mound, and you will see the magic that was performed by the Eagles in 1989.

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