News

Former MVNU Star Tim Belcher Inducted Into NAIA Hall of Fame
written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director

LEWISTON, Ohio - Tim Belcher, a former major league pitcher and a college standout at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame at the NAIA World Series banquet on Thursday evening.

Belcher played three years at MVNU before being selected as the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft in 1983 by the Minnesota Twins following his junior season. During that season, he threw a no-hitter against Kenyon College in which he struck out a school-record 18 batters. The Sporting News also tabbed him as the top collegiate right-handed pitcher that year.

Belcher, who was also the featured speaker at the banquet, played 14 years in the major leagues before retiring in 2000. He broke in with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the end of the 1987 season. In 1988, he posted a 12-6 record with a 2.91 earned run average as he helped the Dodgers to a World Series title by going 3-0 in the postseason. For his efforts that year, Belcher was selected as the National League Rookie of the Year by Baseball America.

During his career that also featured stints with the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, and Anaheim Angels, Belcher recorded 146 wins, 18 shutouts, 1,519 strikeouts, and a career ERA of 4.16.

After 14 hours of travel on Wednesday, the MVNU baseball team finally arrived in Lewiston in the early hours on Thursday morning. The traveling party of 31 people left campus at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday and finally arrived at their team hotel just before 4:00 a.m. EST.

With a short night of rest behind them, the MVNU group headed out to the Lapwai Elementary School for a couple hours with the students. The visit to the school, which was located on a Nez Perce Indian Reservation, was set up by the Cougars’ host coach, Butch Alford, the editor of the Lewiston Morning Tribune. Groups of two or three players went to each classroom and interacted with the students. The time also included lunch in the cafeteria with the kids, plenty of autograph signing, and lots of action on the playground at recess.

Following the trip to the school, the players had their first view of Harris Field, the site of the NAIA World Series, when they went through a one-hour practice. Final preparations were being made in anticipation of capacity crowds at the 5,000-seat facility.

The final activity of the busy afternoon prior to the tournament banquet was the Wells Fargo Kids Clinic. Children ages 12 and under were invited on to the field to learn new tips and techniques from players and coaches from the 10 participating teams. Belcher was also available for autographs and answer questions, and each child received a free hot dog, coke, and game ticket to a World Series game with the first 500 kids also receiving a free t-shirt.

In addition to Belcher’s induction into the NAIA Hall of Fame, MVNU senior catcher Justin Clarey was also honored at the banquet. Clarey was one of 10 players (one from each of the 10 teams at the NAIA World Series) to be selected as a recipient of a Champions of Character award.

The Cougars will begin play in the NAIA World Series on Friday with a first-round game against defending NAIA national champion and host Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) College at 10:30 p.m. EST. MVNU will send senior left-hander Adam Rowe (10-1) to the mound, and the Cougars will be the home team in the game as they won the coin toss. Prior to the game, Belcher will throw out the tournament’s ceremonial first pitch.

The game (and all the rest of MVNU’s games in the tournament) can be heard live on WNZR 90.9 FM and through the internet at www.mvnu.edu/wnzr/sportswebcast.html . Batter-by-batter live stats and other tournament information can be found at www.naiaworldseries.com .

Each of the team’s NAIA World Series games can be heard live on WNZR 90.9 FM and through the internet at www.mvnu.edu/wnzr/sportswebcast.html .