The Battalion
PORTS
Wednesday - July 9,199
Possum, Tyner represent Aggie
best on USA Baseball team
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. File Photograph
Pitcher Casey Fossum pitches against the University of Arizona Feb. 14 at
Olsen Field.
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By Matt Mitchell
The Battalion
T he phrase “Boys of Summer’’
doesn’t quite fit the athletes of
collegiate baseball teams.
After grueling fall drills, which
last virtually the entire semester, the
players’ regular season starts early
in the spring and, unless the team is
fortunate enough to be invited to a
regional, is usually over by the time
the sweltering Texas heat hits town.
But for two members of the Texas
Aggie Baseball Team, the summer
and baseball are in full swing. Sopho
more centerfielder Jason lyner and
freshman pitcher Casey Fossum are
in Viera, Fla., as members of the 24-
man roster of the 1997 USA Baseball
National Team.
The team practices at the spring
training home of the Florida Marlins,
and by all appearances, Tyner and
Fossum are thrilled to be a part of it.
“This has kind of been a dream
of mine for a long time,” Tyner said
in a phone interview from Florida.
“I’ve been to the Olympics before,
and I’ve always wanted to play for
Team USA. It’s like nothing I’ve ever
experienced. When they play the
national anthem, it’s just the best
feeling in the world.”
The fact that the the original 40
invitees were pared to just 24 play
ers leaves the two Aggies among the
best underclassmen in the country.
“It’s just a great thrill to know
you’re one of the best out there right
now,” Fossum said.
Team USA’s travel schedule has
been hectic, to say the least. After a
six-game series against Nicaragua
in Florida, Team USA traveled to
Japan for a five-game series, before
a stop in California for a five-game
set with Korea.
“I guess it’s a lot like profession
al baseball in that we’re traveling to
different hotels every day; we’re
never in the same place very long,”
Tyner said. “It’s fun being in all these
different places. We’ve been to
Japan, we’ve been to Spain, Califor
nia, Florida. But it takes it’s toll on
you; you’re always tired.”
Fossum and Tyner both agree
about the most obvious thing they’ve
learned from their experience so far—
the rest of the world is not far behind
the USA in terms of baseball talent.
“The teams we’re playing are def
initely as talented as we are,” Tyner
says. “You’d think the USA would be
able to just walk all over everybody,
but we’re playing against 30 or 40
year-old guys and they’ve been do
ing it for a while. They know how to
play baseball, I guarantee you that.”
Possum’s perspective is some
what different, but he says every na
tion’s team has a certain style of play.
“As a pitcher, I’ve found out that
the Japanese, the Koreans, all of
them have different swings and dif
ferent ways of hitting the ball,” Fos
sum said. "Japan has some real
good pitchers, some with deliveries
like the [Los Angeles] Dodgers’
Hideo Nomo. Korea had a real good
pitcher that was kind of like [fellow
Dodgers pitcher] Chan Ho Park.
“They have real different deliver
ies. They’re slow and twisting, and it
is sometimes tough on the hitters.”
The conglomerate of talent assem
bled on Team USA is indeed formida
ble, but as is customary in baseball,
Tyner and Fossum say a camaraderie
has developed among the players.
“It’s been fun meeting all these
guys,” Tyner said. "You kind of get
an idea of what other schools are
like, because you’re with some of
the best players in the country.
“Everybody’s getting along
pretty good, there’s just a lot of dif
ferent backgrounds. But we have a
lot of fun.”
iS
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I
File Photograph
Outfielder Jason Tyner attempts a bunt against the University of Texas last
season at Olsen Field.
Fossum even goes so far as to say
that, in addition to getting to know
former and future foes, he’s seen a
few weaknesses that may be ex
ploited in seasons to come.
“We’ve played against these guys
all year, and you finally get to meet
some of these players and they’re
not your enemies anymore,” Fos
sum said. “We’ve made some pretty
good friends.
“You get some idea of what they
struggle with, what they can’t handle,
so if we play them next year, I’ll have
some idea what to throw them.”
As for the effects of the Team
USA experience in terms of next
season, both players see many pos
itives in participating in such a
highly-regarded program.
“It drives you to try harder,’ s '
: ossum said of being in the
pany of so much talent. “You’rere
ally not a standout here andyi
have to work hard to pitch, whicl
builds your confidence. The pitch |Mti|
ing coaches here are great,
they’ve really helped me a lot, both
with the mental side of
and the physical side.”
Tyner added the need to take
leadership role next season will be
aided by his summer sojourn.
just think I’m maturing,
Tyner said. "I think it’s going
help me a lot next season, he
me become a leader. And more
than anything else, the thrill of
playing for your country is justan
unbelievable feeling.”
‘Hottest rugby in Texas’
Photographs: Tim Moog
Above: Members of the Texas A&M
Rugby Team are in a scrum down
Tuesday as they practice for Saturday's
tournament which will be held at the
A&M Polo Fields.
Rugby team to host
45-team tournament
The Texas A&M Rugby Team
will host the 21 st annual Hottest
Rugby in Texas Saturday at the
A&M Polo Fields.
A&M has hosted this tourna
ment each year and will wel
come 45 college and men’s teams
Saturday. The tournament will
take place on nine fields with
A&M playing their games on the
nearest field.
Games will begin at approxi
mately 10 a.m., and each team
will play close to seven games.
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Rugby team member Jim Nelson hands off the ball after a line-in at practice Tuesday.
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