Sports
. THE CLACKAMAS PRINT
May 24,1989
Page 7
West Linn graduate Williams makes it to the majors
by Mark A. Borrelli
Sports Editor
Eveiy baseball player from
little league to college has dreams
of making it to the major leagues.
For a lot of baseball players this is
only a dream and will never hap
pen, because getting all the way
up to the big leagues takes a lot of
luck, hard work and determina
tion.
None of this of course, would
mean anything unless you have
the talent to put it all together.
West Linn graduate Mitch Wil
liams has put it all together and is
now the ace reliever of the Chi
cago Cubs.
Williams, a 1982 graduate of
West Linn High School, has made
his way to a secure job as the staff
stopper for the Chicago Cubs.
Williams was drafted by the San
Diegd Padres after high school
and spent some time in their minor
league system before be traded to
Texas. He was labeled as a starter
in Texas, but Soon found his way
into the pin and then, after a’
mediocre year, found himself
headed to Chicago.
“I welcomed it .(the trade). It
was hard on my family, because
my wife and kids had been in Texas
all their lives, but I looked for
ward to the opportunity,” said
Williams in a telephone interview
from his hotel room jn San Fran
cisco.
“Mitch always knew that he
would make it up to the big leagues.
He worked hard and had the de
termination to do it. He set a goal
to get there and he got there,” said
Marti Williams, Mitch’s mother.
Not only has the change of
towns affected Mitch and his family,
it has affected his family in West
Linn.
“Our day revolves around
Mitch. We plan everything around
the Cubs schedule,” said Marci
Williams.
Williams was. on the West
Linn pitching staff in 1982, de
spite missing a year of baseball
due to an injury which occurred
while playing high school foot
ball.
“My time at West Linn was
fun. Coach Pollericz,was a good
coach-he really taught me a lot.
When you’re in high school, you
just have to go out and use the
talents that Gbd gave you, and as
you progress you learn more. Every
day is another learning experience^”
said Williams..
The Cubs big problem last
year was not having a stopper to
give the ball to in clutch situations.
They gave up a lot to get Williams,
in hopes that he could correct his
control problems and shore up
the Cub bullpen. Williams to this
date and been everything the Cubs
could want and more, with has 11
saves in 13 save opportunities.
“That’s what they brought me
over here for and that’s what I try
to do. I throw the ball hard and
where I end up, I end up. I just
throw as hard as I can,” said Wil
liams.
Williams has been dubbed
“wild thing” by fans across the
national league and is even greeted
by a chorus of “wild thing” when
he comes into a home game.
“That doesn’t bother me. Igo
out and try to get the hitters. We
have a very good team this year
and I just hope that I can help us
stay in contention, then I’ll be doing
my job. I don’t set individual
number goals, I just want to help
the team,” said Williams.
Williams resides in Texas now,
but occasionally gets to West Linn
to visit his parents Jeff and Marci
Williams. He hopes get intobroad-
casting when his baseball career is
over, but hopefully that won’t be
for awhile.
photo oourtaey of Marci Williams
“I won’t quit until they drag Chicago Cub ace reliever Mitch Williams is a 1982 graduate of
me off of the field. I love baseball West Linn High School. Hard work and determination have
and I love winning. There’s nd made him one of the best stoppers In the major leagues.
substitute for winning,” said Wil
liams.
Spring intramurals end
Good luck
Softball:
NWAACC Champion-
ships at Skagit Valley
Community College.
5-26,5-27,5-28.
LrOUgarS!!
Track:
NWAACC
Championships
at Mt. Hood Com-
munity College
5-26, 5-27.
Another season of intramu
rals are at a close, with yesterday’s
softball game between “Dongs ‘R’
Us” and the “No Names” ending
spring intramurals.
Intramural racquetball had a
good turnout and saw some com
petitive matches. Carrie Thomas
claimed the beginning champion
ship, Russ Cole won the Interme
diate championship and Ron
Peters took home the advanced
championship title.
Intramural tennis held their
tournament May 10, and although
they didn’t have the numbers, they
had some serious competitors. The
men’s champion was Mark Potts.
The women’s champion was Linda
Christansen and the doubles cham
pions were Mike Carbon and James
Catlin.
Maty Grout was the women’s
winner in the fun run and Dan
Caldwell was the men’s winner in
3.1 mile jaunt held Mayl.
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