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The ADVANCE, March 24,2021/Page 13B
Handy Andy Stud - Michael Blount is this week's Handy
Andy “Stud” of the week. The Handy Andy Stud award
is given each week for outstanding effort, attitude and
leadership in the VHS weight room.
Iron Indian - Tymber Harris is this week's Chick-fil-A “Iron
Indian” of the week. The "Iron Indian" award is given
each week for outstanding effort, attitude and leader
ship in the VHS weight room.
Find what you're
looking for in
Carpenter
by
Loran Smith
A goodly number of
Georgians know this seat
of Hall County as the
“Poultry Capital of the
World/’ but likely don’t
know, as well as many
residents, that the city’s
original name was, “Mule
Camp Springs.”
That could well
be the most appreci
ated name change in our
state’s history. Gainesville
prides itself on its versa
tility and progressive life
style along with its sports
heritage, among other
points of pride. A number
of accomplished athletes
have sprung from these
parts. Tommy Aaron
won the Masters in 1973.
Football is king around
here in the fall, and many
celebrated players have
made a name for them
selves with their gridiron
feats: Preston Ridlehu-
ber at Georgia, Deshaun
Watson at Clemson and
Billy Lothridge and Billy
Martin at Georgia Tech
are among the many from
here with bulging scrap
books.
Then there is Cris
Carpenter, who was a re
cord setting punter with
the Bulldogs. His pitching
acumen kept him in the
Big Leagues for over eight
years, principally with
the St. Louis Cardinals.
He may be the ultimate
specialist to wear the Red
and Black. In the mind’s
eye of many of us, we can
see his punts soaring up,
up and away at Sanford
Stadium and then in the
spring, his relief pitch
ing was wrist snapping
musical. He ranks 4th in
career punting average as
a Georgia punter (44.1)
and could have punted
in the National Football
League. (He lost in the
finals of the NFL’s punt,
pass and kick contest,
twice. “I was okay passing
and punting but kicking
off a tee caused me prob
lems,” he remembers.)
“I miss football every
day of my life,” he con
tinues, “but I thought
baseball offered me the
best opportunity and am
confident I made the best
decision.” He played eight
years, mostly with the
Cardinals and Rangers
but also spent brief time
with the Marlins and the
Brewers.
A couple of managers
along the way tried to turn
him into a starting pitch
er, but he settled in as a
relief pitcher and finished
his big league career with
an earned run average of
3.91, winning 27 games in
relief and posting 252 ca
reer strikeouts. He often
returns to St. Louis where
he was warmly received as
a Cardinal alumnus.
“I happened to have
been drafted (first round)
by one of the best fran
chises in baseball. Ev
erything about the or
ganization is first class.
St. Louis is known for
having the greatest fans.
The Cardinals have won
more World Series cham
pionships than anybody
but the Yankees. There
is great pride in being
a Cardinal. They really
treat their former players
with great respect. It is a
good feeling to return to
St. Louis for a weekend
series.”
Good feelings also
ensue when he enjoys a
football game between
the hedges. “I can remem
ber taking the field that
first time. It was over
whelming. Playing before
82,000 fans prepared me
for big crowds in major
league baseball. I was so
fortunate to be able to
play two sports in college
and the excitement of Sat
urday afternoon between
the hedges is something
I never felt in any other
sport,” Chris recalls.
He married his high
school sweetheart Jane
Livingston and knew that
when his baseball career
ended, he would return
to Gainesville where he
embarked on a second ca
reer, coaching and teach
ing. When he retires from
teaching, he will benefit
from the state teacher re
tirement system. With his
MLB retirement package,
the best in professional
sports, he can enjoy the
laid back living of Gaines
ville with fall Saturday
opportunities in Athens
along with an occasional
trip to St. Louis for a Bud-
weiser, a Cardinal game
and recall of his days in
the sun as a big leaguer.
Travel has always
ranked high with Car
penter family planning.
Instead of the familiar
Christmas gifts, he and
Jane gave their offspring
trips which have included
international stops, which
they believe enhances
learning and the educa
tional experience. Their
kids bought in, early on,
and couldn’t wait to learn
about the next destina
tion.
While he was a great
admirer of the Atlanta
pitching superstars of his
era—Smoltz, Glavine
and Maddux, taking
notes when they were
pitching—he never had
a secret desire to play in
Atlanta. “I couldn’t have
afforded all the tickets I
would have needed. As
it was when the Cardi
nals played the Braves in
Atlanta, I had to request
about 40 tickets from our
traveling secretary, C. J.
Cherre, who now lives in
Athens.” Then he smiled
and said, “You know I
think I only gave up one
run in Atlanta in my en
tire career. So I did okay.”
Among his Georgia
memories is the influence
of his Bulldog baseball
coach, Steve Webber. “He
was a ground breaker,
maybe the first coach in
the SEC to have a closer
and that turned out to
be me. He remains one
of the best friends I have
ever had.”
When recalling his
past, he often reflects on
the view of the late Bull
dog coach Erk Russell
with an insightful twist.
“There’s nothing like be
ing a Bulldog on Saturday
night and there’s nothing
like playing baseball with
the St. Louis Cardinals.”
Eagles Fall to Habersham
Photo by Mike Branch
Mason Beacham fires one in as the Eagles of Heritage hosted Fullington Academy at
the Ed Smith Complex.
By Mike Branch
Sports Editor
sports 7 advance@gmaii. com
Vidalia Heritage
Academy's varsity base
ball team got just one
game in last week around
the weather, and it was a
tough one for them as
they fell to the Patriots of
The Habersham School.
Habersham belted
out 15 hits in the game as
they pulled away for a
run rule victory over the
Eagles. They put four
runs on the board in first
inning, but Heritage an
swered with two in the
second to close the lead
to 4-2.
It was a big third in
ning in which the Patriots
put 11 runs on the board
that was the big differ
ence in this contest. VHA
added a run in the third,
but it was nowl5-3.
Habersham added
five more runs over the
next two innings while
holding Heritage to two.
That gave the Patriots a
win, 20-5.
This week Heritage
hosted Fullington Acad
emy on Monday and was
at Memorial Day on
Tuesday, both after press
time. This Thursday the
Eagles will be at Fulling-
ton with a 4:30 p.m. start
time.
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