Dubois: You wonder: Where does the time go?
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Mike and Sheila Hollander have had LSU baseball season tickets for many years. Their son Michael was 10 years old when the family attended the 1996 regional at Alex Box Stadium.
During LSU’s 29-13 victory vs. Georgia Tech, a game in which the Tigers had an 18-run inning, the youngster told his dad, “I’m playing here.”
It was one of those cute moments that occurs all over ballparks all the time. Row-and-section neighbors smile and understand such youthful conviction.
The Hollanders kept their season tickets but soon began sitting with the Wally Pontiff Sr. family, so they lost touch with the people they used to sit near for 30-plus home games every season.
A few weeks ago at The Box, they bumped into some fans who remembered them from their old section and asked, “Where’s your little boy?”
Well, Mike Hollander said, he’s around here somewhere. Still hangs around the ballpark. Still comes to the games.
Then he explained.
“He’s on third base.”
Where does the time go? Suddenly, it’s Senior Day for LSU third baseman Michael Hollander, that little boy who vowed 12 years ago to play for the Tigers at Alex Box Stadium.
We’ve known the end would come for the 70-year-old ballpark, but seemingly all of a sudden, it’s right upon us. And what’s this? Mississippi State coach Ron Polk will coach his last game a week from today?
Polk, who has won more games than any other SEC coach, got a standing ovation Friday night when he changed the countdown sign from 3 to 2 games remaining on the Alex Box Stadium schedule.
By then his team was losing 13-6, showing its inexperience and rough edges.
A day earlier, Polk repeated something he’s said many times, telling reporters the three components to having success in the SEC are:
- Surviving the pro draft.
- Having enough juniors and seniors with experience.
- Staying away from injuries.
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