2007

- "I EC retires Thames'No: 24

By Marty Stamper Appeal Sports Editor Marcus Thames jomed a very select c lub Saturday night as his jersey No. 24 was retired in ceremonie~ at the preseason baseball banquet at East Central Commumcy College. Thames, a member of the 2006 American league cham– pion Detroit 'f1gers, h th onl) living Warrior bas!ball player to haYe 1 b numoer retired The onl) other EC baseball member to ha'\:e hi:::. Jer...e) retired ... the late Jume Clark. Thame ·coach for two memo– rab e "-ears Decatur. _ll::. maz~ng. coming from LowS\ ,_ ,J running behind co!K'h '- ,Jrk's truck every mommg around 6:15, I never th ught my career would go th1s far." Thames said. "I just want to thank the coaches for making it possible to retire my w,pnber I'.., be a part ot th1s. "I'll never forget East Central. I love East Central. I always come back whenever I get a chance to. This is a very special night." So special to Thames that he gave up a pair of Super Bowl tickets to attend the event. Out of Louisville Htgh School, Thames signed with ECCC where he was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 30th round following his freshman year. Despite batting .382 with 14 doubles. seven triples, three homers. and 36 RBis as a freshman m 1996, Thames opted to return for his sopho– more year with the Warriors before ink;~g with the Yankees prior to the 1997 draft. Unlike most college play– ers, Thames had limited expe– rience prior to ECCC. ··r dtdn't get a chance to

start in high school unti my ,cnior year." Thames said "A lot of !,.'ll)'S \\Ould have ~uit, but I stayed out there the whole time and hit .505 my ,emor vear. I came here to Ea t Ce.ntral anu coach Clark ga\ e me .. ": .mce to play. ··1 alwa) ~ ~ played baseball grO\\ mg up. but I never thought that I'd get drafted. When the Yankees called. I wanted to go back to ::.chool and hone my skills a liule bit. 1 came back and got a little bit beth!r." In '97. the \hrriors won 40 games with Thames' baumg at a school record .420 clip. He set additional school record<: with 13 homer~ r.nd 70 RBI. "When you get drafted by the Yankees. you always \\ant to take that and run with It, ... o I \\as happ} to ' gn after my sophomore )ear," Thames said. Labeled a pro pcct earl) m , e very produ~;tl\ e ) ear::. m the minor leagues earned h1m n grand total of 13 at-bab in the big leagues w1th Ne\\ York Two organizations later. Thames is showing he belong., in ''The Show." Tough Beginning Compared to his early years. playing baseball 1s a bt·ecze. Thames' mother. Vetenne, was paralyzed in an auto acci– dent when be was just 5 He joined the National Guard later on to help make \!nds meet "It made me physically and mentally stronger. Tt makes you a man, it makes you more responsible," Thames said of h1s mihtary experience. Kno,ving his mom was able to raise five children despite her condition serves a~ Thames· inspiration. • y -mom is a bJ!(inspua– tion in my life. In June, she'll

Louis\ille native Marcus Thames of the Detroit Tigers watches the ball fl~ during a game last ~ear. The former East Central Communi~ College standout had his num– ber retired b) the Warriors aturday ni~ht. Photo bJ Chris Carlwn!Assoeiatec:Press

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