May 26, 2007
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Dreams Come True
Post-Game Column By Rod Williamson
Just who are these guys, the Vanderbilt Commodores?
There are the superstars: Pedro Alvarez, David Price, Dominic de la Osa. There are the strong and steady: Ryan Flaherty, Alex Feinberg, Shea Robin among many.
And then there is Jason Cunningham. Jason Who?
Let that be the last time anyone asks that question. Last year’s team manager forever wrote his name in Vanderbilt baseball lore with an outstanding performance in the SEC Tournament’s semi-final game, pitching 4 2/3 innings against Ole Miss, allowing just two hits and no runs and kept the Commodores in this never-to-be-forgotten game.
But who is Jason Cunningham?
The Decatur, Ga., lefty attended Greater Atlanta Christian High School, “a pretty good baseball background” according to Jason.
But when it came time to graduate, Cunningham’s college options were slim and none.
“I had attended Vanderbilt’s camps,” he says, “so I got to know Coach Johnson (pitching coach Derek). I called him and admitted my only opportunity to play was at Division III Emory and I really dreamed of playing at a higher level. So I asked `what are my chances at Vanderbilt?’ and he said he could not make any promises but that I would get a fair try.”
That was enough for Jason, who showed up on campus in August, 2006 and went to class for two months before tryouts were conducted.
“After they saw me in the tryouts, where I was throwing in the bullpen, they said they would let me practice.”
His position was so shaky on the roster that he was made the team manager during the spring season. He admits there were moments where he wondered what he was doing on team and if he would ever see daylight on the talent-laden Commodore staff.
Up to today, Jason had pitched a grand total of 2 2/3 innings in four appearances. His last visit to the hill was April 25 when he was treated rudely by Tennessee Tech.
Dreams come true.
Throwing pitches ranging in the 79-81 mile-per-hour range against the hard-hitting Rebels, Jason heroically plugged the gap between starter Ty Davis, who had a rough time of it, and 98-mile-per-hour closer Casey Weathers.
“Jason’s story goes well beyond the student manager,” Coach Tim Corbin said in the press conference. “He worked so hard to get into the mix. He tends to throw a lot of strikes. My only thought when I brought him in was if he was too nervous. I went out to the mound and said `I have an extra pair of underwear, do you need them?’ and he said no.”
If this were a Hollywood movie, it would be panned for being hokey. Broadcaster Joe Fisher said on the air we were watching a baseball “Rudy”.
Actually, Cunningham’s performance was no more improbable than the game itself – a spectacular battle that now takes its place beside Worth Scott’s home run for stunning conclusions.
Duke basketball has the Christian Laettner buzzer-beater. Georgia football has the “Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott” call of Larry Munson as the receiver ran into Dawg glory years ago. This was but the semi-finals of the SEC Tournament so it wasn’t for the big marbles – yet. But don’t try to tell a hardball `Dore this one wasn’t special.
When Ole Miss scored in the 10th inning to take a two and then three-run lead, an observer might have thought it had just won the College World Series for the on-the-field jubilation. They wanted the victory so badly.
Trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the tenth, with thousands of Ole Miss fans doing the “Hotty Totty” and whooping it up, these incredible Commodores came back against the Rebel’s ace reliever.
Those of us long-timers unaccustomed to heroics must get with the current program. When this team stormed the field after seven hours of fabulous baseball, there was but one common theme shouted and pledged: win the tournament. We are no longer interested in the bride’s maid role.
Oh, and by the way, nobody asked Coach Corbin in the press conference if Vanderbilt was going to try hard in the tournament. I don’t think we will ever have to answer that one again.