SMU Baseball

[MrMustang1965]

Need a little history lesson. When was baseball introduced at S.M.U. and when did it end? What were the reasons for its demise? Did the Mustangs ever win a SWC baseball championship? Where was the diamond located on campus and how many seats were there in the stands? Did the Mustangs ever play anywhere else in Dallas besides the campus diamond? (I've heard Reverchon Park was used during one season)Any 'classic' games played by SMU's 'Boys of Summer'? Did SMU ever produce any MLB players? And...does anyone think baseball will ever return to The Hilltop? Reasons for its return or not...pro and con?

[Terry Webster]

Can't answer all of those questions, but here are a few things I recall. When I was a kid, SMU played on campus where the track is now, I think. I remember going to a few all sports camps and playing ball on the field. There never were great teams, but put together a few good seasons. They hit a low point where they probably lost every game in conference and then moved out to Reverchon. They hired a new coach who actually was building some momentum (can't remember his name). He was a pretty successful high school coach in the area. They even beat Texas one year. But attendance was almost nil at Reverchon. I think that they cancelled the program either my senior year, or a couple of years later which would have been 79/80.

[NavyCrimson]

Yes - it was late 70's early 80's when it was cancelled. I was there during that time - Russ Potts era.

Unfortunately, Title $%## will forever keep us from having a team - again.

Hey Terry: As for your "interests: sports, reading, 24". What does "24" mean?

[Terry Webster]

Jack Bauer and CTU! Best show on TV.

[NavyCrimson]

Ohhhh

Thx

[mrydel]

Jack Bauer and CTU! Best show on TV.

I knew it was either that or your favorite Psalm.

[PonyKai]

I think the Did you know? on the athletic website said one day we produced 7 or 9 MLB players. Can't remember which.

[Terry Webster]

As the old mind starts to kick into gear, I recall that the final baseball coach was Steve Adair. Good man. He recruited several players out of Duncanville which was a hotbed of baseball at the time.

[EastStang]

I would be very surprised if we won any baseball championships ever especially after the 1950's. Baseball was a sport that was an afterthought for SMU. We allowed a former football star to coach the team as a sinecure for decades. He had one to two scholarships at his disposal. So he might get one good pitcher and two decent every day players. The rest of the players were usually walk-ons. The SWC was arguably one of the toughest baseball conferences in the Nation with UT, A&M, Baylor, UH, Arkansas, TCU and Rice. CUSA today is right up there in that stratosphere by the way with Rice, UH, Tulane, USM, ECU and Memphis. The coach had no clue how to manufacture runs. There was no bunting -"We don't do that [deleted] up here". In other words, if you didn't just have a big inning you lost. With only one good pitcher in your rotation, you usually were guaranteed two losses in conference play in a 3 game series. In 1976, the team went 2-32 with no SWC wins. In fact when Lamar Hunt was renovating Ownby Field for soccer, no one bothered to cordon off the construction zone and the players had to tip toe through pipes and back-hoes to chase a fly ball. When Title IX hit it is no wonder that the sport was discontinued. It was a sport that football players played who wanted to avoid spring workouts and a sport where we put no investment or capital into it.

[NavyCrimson]

Sad but true. Who would have ever thought what college baseball has become today?!

[MrMustang1965]

I recall that S.M.U. traveled to Huntsville to play Sam Houston State in 1978. The Bearkats defeated the Mustangs. I, of course, was a divided fan.

[SmooPower]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/schoo ... dist.shtml

[EastStang]

Interesting site. So, Coach Finley did make it to the big leagues during WWII, didn't know that. I also note that our longest playing Mustang had like an 8-107 record. Ouch!!!

[friarwolf]

Max Williams' son and father of Matt Williams played baseball for SMU......

Steve Adair left SMU when they killed the program and started a nice little dynasty at TCA-Addison. He passed away 6-7years ago.............

[Paladin]

I can remember as a freshman (1973 / 74) during PE class a coach announcing that players were needed to play on the varsity baseball team. Probably had something to do with why they weren't winning games.