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| Terry O'Neal (Muskegon, Mich.) |
Terry O’Neal has seen the ups and downs of Calvin baseball. O’Neal’s
first year on the team — 2001 — followed an MIAA championship
and a berth in the NCAA tournament. Expectations were high for the team,
but O’Neal, as a freshman, did not see a lot of playing time, playing
primarily in the infield. “I had a poor year; I only played in a
few games and still made three or four errors,” he said. In 2002,
O’Neal joined the starting lineup as the leftfielder and has been
a key part of the program ever since.
O’Neal, a Muskegon native, used a strong spring break to cement
himself into the starting lineup by the time the MIAA season started.
His speed and batting average made him the perfect batter at the top of
the Knights lineup. “I was surprised to be placed in the lead-off
spot,” said O’Neal, “I didn’t consider myself
a typical lead-off hitter. I was so excited to be a part of that great
team, it didn’t matter where I played or how much.” O’Neal
finished the season with a .329 batting average, scored 30 runs, stole
13 bases, and had 14 runs batted in — which included two home runs.
O’Neal’s first season as a starter was a success as he helped
the Knights reclaim the MIAA championship.
During the next season, the Knights struggled through an 8-27 season
and finished sixth in the league standings. O’Neal struggled along
with the team as his averages dipped in many offensive categories. O’Neal
was still able to lead the Knights in on-base percentage and runs scored,
but his batting average slipped to .276 with a late-season hitting slump.
This year, O’Neal was again looking to jumpstart the Knights’
offense. He stepped up and became a leader on and off the field. He batted
.314 while again leading the team in on-base percentage; he also scored
24 runs and swiped 11 bases. O’Neal played through a wrist injury
from being hit by a pitch and a stomach virus during the season while
helping the team improve on its record by seven wins from the year before.
O’Neal was impressed by how the team stuck together this past season.
“When we won the league, the team unity was high, but when we started
losing in 2003, we all started blaming each other. This year, the unity
was great among the guys; we were all happy to work hard and improve from
last year.”
While his athletic ability was appreciated, most of O’Neal’s
teammates liked him most for his humorous personality. O’Neal often
was the first to crack a joke on a teammate or pull a prank, making everyone
feel comfortable. “I always tried to lighten the load and lift some
spirits during games, especially if we were losing,” he said.
O’Neal will return to Calvin for the fall semester to finish his
major in mathematics, hoping to graduate in December. His future plans
include looking into a career as a statistician or an actuary.
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