Ever the baseball coach, Chal Port dispensed some advice Saturday afternoon.
"You can't get anybody out if you don't throw strikes," the legendary former Citadel coach told Bulldog and Charleston Southern players at Riley Park. "Babe Ruth is dead. Hank Aaron has retired. Barry Bonds is on the disabled list. And Matt Weiters is playing for Georgia Tech. So throw the ball in there."
Port also said, "You are never in a slump the next time up."
The current Bulldogs seemed to take the old coach's words to heart, capping off a memorable day with a 10-6 victory over Charleston Southern, snapping a four-game losing skid for The Citadel (15-23).
The 73-year-old Port, honored Saturday along with The Citadel's 1990 College World Series team, gave a speech before the game that was vintage Port -- blunt, funny and self-deprecating.
"Any success I've had is because of what other people have done," Port said.
With members of that 1990 team lined up on the first-base line, along with their wives and children, The Citadel unveiled a couple of tributes to Port to honor the 15th anniversary of the only Southern Conference team to make the CWS.
A skybox above home plate at Riley Park is now known as "Chal's Porch", and the Bulldogs' clubhouse will be known as "Chal's House."
"So Coach Port's eyes will forever be upon us," reads the plaque that will sit outside the clubhouse.
Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. was among the dignitaries on hand to recall that 1990 season, when The Citadel had a 26-game winning streak, won the SoCon title and the NCAA Atlantic Regional and won one game in the College World Series in Omaha.
"This team won our hearts," Riley said. "They had what Chal Port's teams always had -- guts and spirit, and they never gave up. They played hard until the last out in the ninth inning."
Riley also recalled Port's penchant for downplaying his own players' abilities while building up the opponents.
"He'd say, 'This guy can't hit a softball,'" Riley said. "And the next game he'd hit three home runs."
Port, who retired in 1991 with 641 victories, had a stroke five years ago and gets around now with the aid of two canes made out of Louisville Slugger bats. But he still follows baseball -- his speech referenced players from Paul Waner to Weiters, the former Stratford standout and the son of ex-Citadel star Richard Weiters.
"I'm sorry I got so old, and I'm sorry I got so crippled," Port said. "They told me when I had my stroke that it would change my life forever, and it has. I used to be a nice guy."
Of course, he still is.
"From knowing Coach Port, I think he's really proud of what that team accomplished," said Citadel coach Fred Jordan. "But he's even more proud to see them here today and to see all their families."
Port also got to see a Citadel victory. Second baseman Jon Aughey had three hits and four RBIs for the Bulldogs and the Buccaneers (21-20) helped out with six errors, four in The Citadel's five-run third inning.
Justin Smith (2-1) worked 7-1/3 innings for the win for The Citadel. The teams meet again today at 1 p.m.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
An update on the members of The Citadel's 1990 College World Series team:
No. Name Pos. City/Town Currently
1 Phillip Tobin SS Irmo Network manager, BellSouth
2 Larry Hutto C Charleston State Farm
3 Dan McDonnell 2B Oxford, Miss. Assistant coach, Ole Miss
4 Jason Rychlick CF Boiling Springs Engineer
6 Tony Skole 3B Johnson City, Tenn. Head coach, ETSU
7 Mike Branham OF/DH Ladson Jones Ford
8 Derrick Rogers C Mount Pleasant Not available
9 Gettys Glaze P/C Charleston Sandlapper Real Estate
10 Anthony Jenkins LF Goose Creek Business owner
11 Chris Coker 1B/SS Orangeburg Frigidaire
12 Scott Elvington SS Apex, N.C. Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharm.
13 Mike Black OF Matthews, N.C. BellSouth
14 Richard Shirer P Marion, N.C. Baxter Healthcare
15 Hank Kraft P Virginia Beach, Va. Teacher
16 Kevin McGarvey P Sea Island, Ga. Sea Island Co.
18 Cornell Caldwell OF Hoffman Estates, Ill. Not available
19 Vic Correll INF Valdosta, Ga. Loudes Co. Schools
20 Bart Mays INF Mooresville, N.C. Teacher/Coach
21 Steve Basch P Atlanta CPA, Twelve Baskets Inc.
22 Brad Stowell P Jacksonville, Fla. Owner, lawn-care company
23 Billy Baker RF/P Lexington Teacher
24 Ken Britt P Blythewood Continental Freight Services
- Hal Hayden P Orangeburg Baseball coach, Edisto HS
30 Chal Port Coach Charleston Retired
5 Ken Creehan Coach Elizabeth, Pa. Banker
17 Tom Hatley Coach James Island Teacher
