WEEKLY SPOTLIGHT:  Cincinnati Reds’ Jerry Narron visits Wesleyan baseball team

Rocky Mount, NC - This past Wednesday, January 10th, the Battling Bishop baseball squad of North Carolina Wesleyan College was privileged to welcome Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron to campus.  Narron, entering his third season with the Reds’ organization, spoke to the Wesleyan team on the importance of fundamentals, hard work, and character… three principles that each player will hopefully carry into the 2007 season for the 10th-ranked Bishops.

Narron stressed that the game of baseball is the same from Little League to the Big Leagues, centering around fundamentals and teamwork.  He emphasized that players should push each other to achieve above and beyond what is expected, stating that “the best player doing the most trivial task makes the team better.”  Narron confidently told the Bishops that if they practiced this simple rule that the potential to do something special this season is there.

He went on to share some big league stories, speaking of his association with players like Catfish Hunter, Goose Gossage, Cal Ripkin, Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Ken Griffey, Jr., just to name a few. He also shared his experience with managers such as Billy Martin and Gene Mauch.

NCWC head coach Charlie Long stated, “He was a very humble and down-to-earth guy. He told the team that he thanks God everyday he walks through the tunnel before a big league game. I think the guys really enjoyed getting an opportunity to meet him.”

Narron is a 1974 graduate of Goldsboro (NC) High School, where he was All-State in baseball and played basketball and football.  He attended East Carolina University and was drafted by the New York Yankees in the sixth round of the 1974 free agent draft.  A catcher, Narron appeared in 392 Major League games for the Yankees, Mariners, and Angels.