Former Duke shortstop Dick Groat and the late Bill Wilhelm, who won an ACC-record 1,161 games during his tenure at Clemson, were among the inductees Monday into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, Texas.
Groat, a shortstop at Duke in 1951 and '52, had a 14-year big league career, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He compiled a .286 career batting average in the majors. He was an five-time All-Star and the 1960 National League MVP. Groat was also a two-time All-American in basketball at Duke and was voted the national player of the year in 1951. He played one year in the NBA before concentrating on baseball.
The annual collegiate awards also were presented.
Texas pitcher Taylor Jungmann was the winner of the 25th annual Dick Howser Trophy. Clemson shortstop Brad Miller was honored with the Brooks Wallace Award that goes annually to the season's most outstanding shortstop. Miller was selected the ACC player of the year after hitting .339.
Virginia pitcher Danny Hultzen took home the John Olerud Award, honoring the season's best two-way player. Hultzen, the ACC pitcher of the year for the second consecutive year with a 1.49 ERA and 151 strikeouts, also complied a batting average of .320.
Football
Auburn oaks hanging on: The ailing oaks at Toomer's Corner are a mottled mix of yellow and brown these days, but experts say there's still a chance the trees will be in good enough shape for Auburn football fans to roll them with toilet paper after victories this fall.
About five months have passed since school officials confirmed that the famous trees had been poisoned, and a fan of archrival Alabama is awaiting trial in the attack. Emergency procedures that included removing poisoned dirt around the trees' roots have helped them survive this long.
Auburn University horticulturist Gary Keever said no one is sure yet whether the trees will live or die.
Harvey Updyke Jr. - a 62-year-old 'Bama fan with children named Bear and Crimson Tyde - was indicted on charges including criminal mischief and desecration of a venerated object. Updyke pleaded not guilty.
Associated Press
