WildcatRick
07-04-2007, 01:14 AM
By Ted Schultz
Herald Sports Editor
CLINTON — Tyler Howe’s dream is to someday play pro baseball.
In a sense, he’s already gotten a taste of the big leagues.
Howe, a Northeast graduate who is a catcher for the University of Kentucky baseball team, got a chance to catch for future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens during an impromptu practice session in May.
Clemens, who had just signed a contract with the New York Yankees, was in Lexington — the site of the University of Kentucky — to see his son Koby play for the Class A minor league Lexington Legends.
“I got a call one morning from our pitching coach (Gary Henderson) telling me to be at the ballpark in 15 minutes with my catching gear,” said Howe. “I thought that was really strange, but I got my stuff together and took off. I saw the media trucks when I arrived and thought that was really weird. When I walked in, I was told to hurry up because in five minutes I had to catch for Roger Clemens. I couldn’t believe it.”
Clemens may have been rusty, but didn’t show it.
“He threw 100 pitches — 50 to me and 50 to our other catcher (Sean Coughlin),” said Howe. “He was pretty impressive with his command. Wherever I was set up, the ball was there.”
Howe said Clemens’ character was equally impressive.
“He was the most down-to-earth guy you could meet,” he said. “He talked with a lot of us guys, especially the pitchers. I gained a lot of respect for him.”
http://www.clintonherald.com/sports/local_story_184165922.html
Herald Sports Editor
CLINTON — Tyler Howe’s dream is to someday play pro baseball.
In a sense, he’s already gotten a taste of the big leagues.
Howe, a Northeast graduate who is a catcher for the University of Kentucky baseball team, got a chance to catch for future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens during an impromptu practice session in May.
Clemens, who had just signed a contract with the New York Yankees, was in Lexington — the site of the University of Kentucky — to see his son Koby play for the Class A minor league Lexington Legends.
“I got a call one morning from our pitching coach (Gary Henderson) telling me to be at the ballpark in 15 minutes with my catching gear,” said Howe. “I thought that was really strange, but I got my stuff together and took off. I saw the media trucks when I arrived and thought that was really weird. When I walked in, I was told to hurry up because in five minutes I had to catch for Roger Clemens. I couldn’t believe it.”
Clemens may have been rusty, but didn’t show it.
“He threw 100 pitches — 50 to me and 50 to our other catcher (Sean Coughlin),” said Howe. “He was pretty impressive with his command. Wherever I was set up, the ball was there.”
Howe said Clemens’ character was equally impressive.
“He was the most down-to-earth guy you could meet,” he said. “He talked with a lot of us guys, especially the pitchers. I gained a lot of respect for him.”
http://www.clintonherald.com/sports/local_story_184165922.html
