Wes Bradshaw, one of the organizers of the recent Rocky Mount Alumni Baseball Game, asked me to write the player introductions for the pregame festivities. The fans at the game enjoyed hearing about all these former players. So I decided to share these bios with the rest of Gryphon Nation.
So below are those bios. Enjoy reading about your favorite former Rocky Mount players.
Jeremy Ward – One of Rocky Mount’s top career pitchers who had 12 wins his
senior season, he was a four-year starter who also ranks in the top five in five
different career hitting categories. He played collegiately at Wake Forest and Long Beach
State and was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks. From the Class of ’96 ……
Chad Womble – He has a career record on the mound of 22-7, a four-year
starter who surprised a lot folks with his bat. He led the team in strikeouts
his senior season. He played collegiately at NC Wesleyan. From the Class of ’07
……
Grant Johnson – The starting first baseman for the 2008 3-A state championship
team, he’s also the single-season at-bat leader with 114 – From the Class of
’08 …..
Dillon Cockrell – A four-year starter at shortstop who could do
a little pitching too. He has the school record for the most games played in a
Rocky Mount uniform. He 4-0 on the mound a member of 2008 3-A state
championship team. – From the Class of ’09 ….,
Adam Weaver - A four-year starter at shortstop, few know he went 6-0 as a
pitcher. He is the school’s career leader in at-bats, triples and stolen bases.
He is one of only two RM players to have over 100 hits in his career. He played
collegiately at UNC and Elon – From the Class of ’02 ….
Tommy Warrick – A member of the 1973 4-A state championship team, he shares the
school record for RBIs in a game with 7. He hit two HRs in the contest. He
played collegiately at Louisburg and East Carolina. From the Class of ’74 ….
Eddie Joe Lynch – He helped lead the Blackbirds to the 1967 4-A
State Championship – on the mound and at the plate – as RM, a team that
featured three starters that batted over .400, posted a two-game sweep of West
Mecklenburg. He was 5-1 on the mound and hit .375 for the season. From the
Class of ’67 …
Jim Leggett – When he graduated, he was the school’s all-time winningest
pitcher with 28 victories. A four-year starter who is the career leader in
innings pitched, he helped lead the 2008 team to the 3-A state title. He hit
.413 his senior season. From the Class of ’08 ….
Braxton Hill – He was solid hitter and pitcher for the Gryphons. His senior
season, he was tied for first in doubles, second in total hits, runs scored and
total bases, From the Class of ’02 …
Hank Jones – A four-year starter, he helped the Gryphons win three straight
conference titles. Unfortunately, he was the losing pitcher in RM’s last
playoff game each of those seasons. He had career pitching record of 20-7. In one game, he was
throwing it so badly, his coach Shelton Chesson pulled him from the game after
four pitches. He will start his third season as head coach of Rocky Mount Coleman-Pitt
Post 58’s American Legion team right here next week at Gryphon Stadium. From
the Class of ’86 …
Jason Battle – This player was a first-team All-Conference performer in
football, basketball and baseball his senior year. He played both baseball and
football at N.C. A&T. He was an assistant coach for the 2008 3-A state
title baseball team. He has just been named as Rocky Mount’s new head football
coach. From the Class of ’98 …
Paul Jenkins – A two-year starter for the Gryphons, he combined with Carter
Harrell to make a formidable duo on the mound for RM. Many won’t forget the eighth-inning
solo home run he hit to center field on the road to beat South Johnston in the
2000 4-A state playoffs. He also got the win in the game. He threw a no-hitter
against Northern Nash his senior season. He signed to play collegiately at UNC.
From the Class of 01’ …
Carter Varnell – He was a starting right fielder and a member of the 2008 3-A
state championship baseball squad. From the Class of 2010 ……
Cameron Ramsey – He was a member of the 2008 3-A State championship team and he
was starting right fielder his senior season. From the Class of ’09 …
William Barringer – A three-year starter in left field and a
member of the 2008 3-A state title baseball team, he is second in single-season
at-bats for the Gryphons and was a consistent run producer throughout his
career. He is also one of the select few who have hit a grand slam in this
park. From the Class of ‘08 …
Gerry Smith – A reserve
player, he got into 23 games his senior season with 47 at bats. He was on a
squad that started the season 16-0 and was nationally ranked. From the Class of
’95 ….
Jeff Collins – A member of the 1973 4-A state championship baseball team, he
also excelled in basketball where started his senior season with the great Phil
Ford. He is among several former RM athletes to go on to be chosen as a
Morehead Scholar. He is a member of the N.C. House of Representatives. From the
Class of 1974 …
J.J. Jones – He was a three-sport athlete at RMHS – football,
wrestling and baseball. He played
football at Elizabeth City State. From
the Class of ‘91
David Ange – A solid infielder, he played on two conference champions. He
had a walk-off single that plated the winning run in a playoff game his
sophomore season. He led his team in triples his junior season. He played
collegiately at UNC-Wilmington. From the Class of ’97 ….
Chris Berry – Who could have had a better senior season than this guy? He slapped
35 hits including 11 doubles, knocked in 37 runs and scored 38 times. He also
came on as a pitcher during 2008’s state championship run. He even threw a
no-hitter in RM’s playoff opener. From
the Class of ’08 ….
Eric Johnson – A solid hitter who could hit for power. He had a 5-RBI outing
in his career and he is one of the select few to hit two home runs in a game.
From the Class of ’98 …
Jeff Williams – A three-year starting outfielder for the Gryphons, he batted .290 his senior season. From
the Bicentennial Class, the Class of ‘76 …
Jason Womble – This pitcher was second on the team in strikeouts his senior
season. He led the squad with an ERA of 1.67. From the Class of ’04 …
Eddie Coats – He could hit and steal bases. He batted .373 his senior season.
He led the team in doubles and was third in stolen bases. In his first season
pitching since junior high, he led the team with a 6-2 record. He was tops on
the squad in strikeouts and ERA. From the Class of ’83 ….
Marcus Mitchell – He played catcher for the Gryphons. He played
collegiately at Pffiefer University. From the Class of ’91 ….
JR Johnson – A self-admitted reserve player during his career, since his
played during the Phi-Slamma-Jamma era of U. of Houston basketball, he coined
that he belonged to “ Chi Ridea Pinea‘’ From the Class of ’84 ….
Michael Parker – He was a solid lefty pitcher for the Gryphons. He in the top 10
in single-season strikeouts. He threw a no-hitter against North Davidson during
the 2003 RM Easter Tournament. He played collegiately at Barton College. From
the Class of ’04 ……
Timmy Tucker - A two-year starter for
the Gryphons who took conference titles those seasons. In his junior season, he had a 5-RBI night in
a playoff contest at Cary. A sure-handed first baseman. From the Class of ’79
…..
Harold Joyner – A two-year starter third baseman for the Gryphons, he played collegiately at N.C. A & T University. From the Class of '92 ….
John Fagala – Before Major League Baseball starting using the term “walk-off”, this
player had one – a single his senior season to knock in the winning run over
Eastern Wayne. He hit .305 his senior year and was tied for the team lead in
triples. From the Class of ’83…
Doug
Roberson - As a second baseman, he was a member of the 1967 4-A state
championship team. From the Class of ’67 …
Doug
Roberson III – A member of one of the most
offensive-minded teams in school history in 1995, he was one of six starting
seniors that made a trip to the 4-A Eastern finals the next season. He hit .338
that year and led the team in doubles. From the Class of ’96……
Nick
Hahula – He was a reserve player who rose
off the bench to contribute to 2008’s state championship run. He got in the
rotation late in the season and recorded three wins. From the Class of ’09 …
Will
Johnson – A three-year starter at
shortstop, this player concluded his senior season with a .328 average with four doubles, four triples, 16 RBI and a team-leading 28 runs scored. He played collegiately at Barton College. From the Class of ’05…..
Gary Miller - A two-year starter, he was a consistent hitter who helped the Gryphons to a conference title. As an American Legion Post 58 player, he was the last batter to get a hit at old Municipal Stadium. MVP of the RM Breakfast Optimist Easter Tournament. From the Class of '88 ....
Late added players ....
Terrell Hudgins - A two-year starter at third base and pitcher, he led his team in several categories his senior season, including at-bats (76), batting average(.371), hits (26), RBIs (24), and was second in runs scored (23). He was named NCHSAA Male Athlete of the Year his season year - the highest accolade any high school athlete can achieve in this state. He played football collegiately at Elon where he broke several NCAA records for receiving. From the Class of '05 ...
Collins Cuthrell - One of Rocky Mount's great all-time hitters, he is of the the top career leaders in home runs with 10, including a season-record seven his senior year. He is in the top 10 of virtually every hitting catergory in the record book. He is playing collegiately at Barton College. From the Class of '10 ...
