Friday, January 16, 1998
Bruins to face off against tough pro alumni squad
BASEBALL Former UCLA pitcher Frierson to perform before contest
between past, present players
By Vytas Mazeika
Daily Bruin Staff
The expression "Play ball" takes on a new meaning this
weekend.
Friday at 7:30 pm, former Bruin pitcher Eddie Frierson will
perform in "Matty," a one-man act honoring Hall of Fame pitcher
Christy Matthewson.
Then Saturday at noon, the 1998 UCLA baseball team will square
off against the alumni squad at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Frierson, the only UCLA valedictorian ever to play baseball, was
invited to perform "Matty" at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
in Cooperstown, N.Y. this past summer. Due to the play’s success,
Frierson is now invited to do his rendition of "Matty" on an annual
basis before the Induction Ceremony.
Frierson will perform for the UCLA alumni and 1998 squad at
Macgowan Hall (seating capacity of 200) on Friday night and parties
interested can attend at a cost of $5 to students and $12 to
adults.
Then on Saturday, former Bruins like Bill Haselman of the Boston
Red Sox, Ryan McGuire of the Montreal Expos, Rich Amaral of the
Seattle Mariners and Mike Magnante and Sean Berry of the Houston
Astros will take the field against a new generation of Bruins.
UCLA head coach Gary Adams will coach the alumni team while his
assistants will try to avenge last year’s 2-0 alumni victory.
"It’s my only chance to see the (alumni)," Adams said. "And I
want to spend time with them … It will be a great feeling to see
them."
With Magnante and 1997 alum Jim Parque of the Chicago White Sox
(the first 1997 draft pick to reach the triple-A level), the alumni
will have tough, live arms.
"Our pitching will be really tough on the 1998 squad," Adams
said. "They’re going to have their work cut out to score any runs
this year."
Considering the loss of seven key players from the 1997 College
World Series team to the major league draft, the 1998 team may have
a tough time getting more than the two hits they got last year.
But outfielders Eric Byrnes (a returnee after being drafted in
the fourth round by Houston) and consensus All-American Eric Valent
(a record 27 homers as a sophomore and a school-tying 91 RBI’s last
season) will provide a lot of pop in the lineup.
Also, this year’s Bruins have the No. 1 recruiting class in the
nation that includes super-freshman Chase Utley – the team’s
starting shortstop.
The freshmen are expected to have quite an impact, as the Bruins
lost their starting rotation, their closer, and offensive standouts
John Heinrichs (Marlins) and All-American Troy Glaus (Angels).
"Those were key losses, of course, and tough to replace," Adams
explained. "But I look at it as we reloaded, not rebuilding,
because the talent is certainly here. We just don’t have the
experience."
A game against Bruin greats will certainly provide the 1998 team
with a lot of experience.
Daily Bruin File Photo
Chicago White Sox draft pick Jim Parque will play in the UCLA
vs. alumni game.