COLLEGE BASEBALL: Burnette Can Relate To Grimm

Page 1C, 6-24-08

Former Bearcat recalls times from Omaha

BY TIM HAYES
Bristol Herald Courier
University of Georgia freshman pitcher Justin Grimm has spent the past week at the mecca of college baseball — Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium. The former Virginia High star has made plenty of memories as his team vies for a national title.

Zack Burnette can relate.

A Virginia High graduate like Grimm, Burnette played at Clemson University and was on the Tigers’ 1958 and 1959 College World Series squads.

“It was the biggest thrill of my life,” Burnette said. “It was something else.”

A starting shortstop at Virginia High in 1955 and 1956, Burnette made the Clemson team as a walk-on and was a three-year letterman for the Tigers.

“In ’58 they changed coaches [to Bill Wilhelm] and decided to promote baseball down there,” Burnette said. “I was fortunate enough to play. We had a guy named Bailey Hendley and one of our starting pitchers and myself were the only sophomores [in ‘58]. The year before that we finished last in the conference, so it was special.”

Clemson knocked off Arizona in its ‘58 CWS opener, but consecutive losses to Holy Cross and Western Michigan eliminated the Tigers.

The following year, Clemson made a return trip to Omaha and once again compiled a 1-2 record. The Tigers opened the event with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Arizona in 12 innings.

“That was a tough loss,” Burnette said. “But it was one of the best ballgames I had. I had four hits in that game.”

Clemson followed that up with a 7-1 win over Colorado State, but was eliminated by Penn State in its following game.

Despite not coming away with a national title, Burnette has plenty of memories from his trips to Omaha. In fact, Clemson honored its 1958 team before a game with Florida State earlier this season. Burnette was one of 16 players and coaches on hand to be honored as part of Clemson’s first College World Series team in school history.

Grimm and Georgia began a best-of-three series with Fresno State on Monday night, with the winner becoming NCAA Division I champ. With Atlantic Coast Conference members Florida State, Miami and North Carolina eliminated from the College World Series, Burnette will likely be pulling for his fellow VHS alum to claim the title.

“I hope he gets to go every year,” Burnette said.
| (276) 645-2570