2007

WEEK OF fu 5 /J I l

www.winstoncountyjoumal.corr. ------------------ --- --- EC retires Thames's jersey number ---_____,

(EC Puoro) The number "24" will never agaln.be worn by an East Central Community College baseball player after first-year head baseball coach Neal Holliman (left) officially retired the jersey number of former Diamond Warrior Marcus Thames (second from left) of the Detroit Tigers during the College's pre-sea– son baseball banquet held Saturday night on the Decatur campus. Thames, also shown with his wife, Danna, had his best season as a major leaguer for the 2006 American League champions, as he posted a .256 batting average with 26 home runs and 60 RBis. The Louisville native earned All-American, All-Region 23 and All-State honors after helping lead the 1997 Diamond War– riors to a record-setting 40 wins and just 18 losses and a state runner-up title. Thames, who also received the team's most valuable player award in 1997, posted a .420 batting average, which still stands as the highest record– ed average for an EC player. He also set a single season mark for home runs (13) and RBis (70). Thames was originally drafted by the New York Yankees and later traded to the Texas Rangers before joining the Tigers organization In 2004.

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N~SHOBADEMOCRAT ___ _ NE~ON RECORD ___ ____ MERIDIAN STAR-----– CLARION-LEDGER------ IMPACT ________ _

CARTHAGINIAN --- - - - – SCOTT COUNTY TIMES-----– UNION APPEAL-- ---- - - WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL _J\ _ _ _ SPIRIT OF MORTON-- ---- -- OTHER _______ ___