MASON, Ohio — When teams are fortunate to compete in national championships throughout the season, most have pre-championship banquets and half are too long and always dreaded. But for the NCCAA Baseball World Series teams, they were fortunate to meet former Major League Baseball pitcher Anthony Telford on Tuesday night, and his 20-minute story opened many eyes, ears and hearts.

Telford, who played in professional baseball from 1987 until his retirement at the age of 36 in 2002, was the keynote speaker for tonight's NCCAA World Series banquet and he did not disappoint.

At the conclusion, Telford opened the floor up for questions and a few players asked how hard he threw (89-94 MPH) and what pitches he had in his repertoire (fastball, change, slider and a HAMMER). He really emphasized the hammer!

The hammer made him famous and one story he went on to tell was from the the 1998 season where the breaking ball was put on national television. But you'll have to wait until the end of this feature to hear that story….

Telford was the chaplain for teams he played on. He accepted Christ at the age of 24 while playing in Single-A ball in his second year as a professional and went on to be a captain, jokester and a teammate everyone relied on for guidance and support. We heard stories of setting teammates' clothes on fire and putting one-inch chain with a padlock around the pitcher's lockers so they couldn't get to them. I could definitely tell the jokester had a few up his sleeve.

But outside the joking and games on the field, during his first 10 years of pitching in both the minors and majors, he learned how to be the man Christ called him to be. He shared with the 10-teams and roughly 400 people in attendance at tonight's banquet that it was during his lowest times where the Lord showed him what it meant to be a Christian and compete.

Telford said, "there are three things I want you to take from tonight…. How do you deal with things off the field, how do you carry yourself in the clubhouse and how do you compete on the field."

Off the field, Telford approached players in the minors and even the majors that didn't know Christ and always kept his hotel door open "just in case someone wanted to stop by late one night". He mentioned that one player – not to be named – told him he didn't want to be a hypocrite because most of the guys that were in chapel were also the same guys that were out drinking and partying every night. That individual always gave Telford a hard time about being a "man of God" but eventually he came around.

Christian athletes are put under the microscope more than others because of the platform they serve on. "Live a clean life," said Telford.

In the clubhouse, Telford carried himself like a man of God. He mentioned there is room for four types of players in the clubhouse – captain, jokester, teammates who don't care about anything and the one who analyze things too much. But it doesn't matter which one of these teammates you are, there is room for everyone in the clubhouse and also in the Kingdom.

"Be a good teammate," Telford said.

But the one thing that stood out to me the most was how Telford, who stands at 6-foot and weight 180 during his prime, competed on the hill as a Major League reliever.

"I was a fierce competitor," said Telford. "I wasn't ashamed to be a believer but also compete and blow someone up when needed. That's what guys told me near the end of my career that I still take with me."

Telford only allowed one hit a piece to possibly three of the biggest sluggers in our era, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa -- but the one hit for each were all homers. I guess if someone was to hit a long ball off me, I can now say it was three of the best hitters in the new era!

In 1998, Telford mentioned his Montreal Expos were in St. Louis for the final four games of the regular season and McGwire was chasing 70 home runs. McGwire was sitting at 66 homers going into the final series and he faced Telford in all four games. Telford said the competitiveness came out. The entire world was watching every at bat as McGwire chased 70. But Telford actually worked out of jams in the later innings to keep the McGwire faithful waiting for No. 70 -- which he ended up hitting anyways vs. the Expos -- but Telford was able to be a part of that moment.
 
He rambled on about other favorite stories but one of his all-time favorites came during the 1997 season when he broke Spring Training camp with the Major League Club…. Barely.

He pitched 15 scoreless innings in Ft. Lauderdale during Spring Training and on the final game of the schedule, he wasn't on the lineup card to pitch. He thought he was a shoe-in to make the major league roster. But after teammates couldn't get out of innings, he was summoned to toss the final innings – which he gave up his first run of the spring.

Multiple clubhouse guys and management staffers around the Expos club talked to him and mentioned how they thought he was going to make the Big League club out of Spring Training. But later that night, he got the tap on the shoulder to meet with the head coach, Felipe Alou, and the general manager. After being told he wasn't on the Big League roster, Telford, the team chaplain, the guy who everyone thought was a "great clubhouse guy", started to feel sorry for himself and thought retirement was looking better and better.

Making $30,000 for five months wasn't paying the bills or putting food on the table but it was Expos manager Felipe Alou who changed his mind.

The next morning after being told he wasn't on the big league roster out of spring training camp, Telford was at the ballpark at 6 a.m. to clean out his locker and head to Ottawa for Triple-A. But it was Alou who stopped him in the hallway telling the youngster, "even though you don't see it now, you are on my team."

Coming from a 27-year old relief pitcher who had tossed in only 21 games at the Major League level, that meant the world to Telford.

God started to work in his life.

A couple days later the big league club was playing Ottawa in a scrimmage before the regular season started, but Telford decided to stay at the pool and spend time with his wife and 10-month old daughter to process what his next step would be.

But it was that very night that his minor league director called and asked him to sit down…. The news came in that Matt Wagner injured himself in the scrimmage and Telford was starting the year in the Majors. Now the only kicker was – he was only going to be up for 15 days before getting optioned back down. Well, that didn't happen.

Telford stayed in the Major Leagues for the next six seasons and pitched in 333 games, 455+ innings and finished with a lifetime ERA of 4.17.

"I was a believer but also a fierce competitor. That's what pushed me into having a successful major league career and being able to provide for my family," said Telford.

As a former athlete myself, the competitive nature comes out in anything we do. It doesn't matter if it's playing wiffle ball in the back yard or coming out of the bullpen to face The Big Mac, who was chasing 70 home runs, it doesn't take any talent to be a good teammate. It doesn't take talent to be a fierce competitor like Anthony Telford… it just takes the will and fight to make our dreams a reality.

The Tigers are looking to do that this week and claim the first NCCAA World Series championship in school history. I hope to see you at Prasco!


In addition to coverage of the NCCAA Baseball World Series, CU Sports Information Director, and Tiger travel companion, Jordan Alves, will keep fans updated with periodic behind-the-scenes features on www.campbellsvilletigers.com and photo galleries on Facebook at Campbellsville Tigers. You can also follow the Tiger Baseball on Twitter at  @CTigersBaseball and @CvilleTigers.