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Wednesday, June 25, 1997

Player travels to Dallas to hone skills in summer league

By KEVIN TAYLOR / Palestine Herald-Press

PALESTINE, Texas - It's a little after 3 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon and Daniel O'Donnell has all the essentials for tonight's summer league baseball game: catcher's mitt, batting glove, bat, uniform, gum, soft drinks and gas money.

Most of all, O'Donnell has time.

At first, the thought of driving to and from Dallas (a 250-mile roundtrip) three nights a week seemed imposing at best, says O'Donnell, Palestine's sophomore baseball standout.

"When we first started out going, it was a little tough," O'Donnell recalled. "The more times we go, it seems to get shorter and shorter. You find ways to pass the time. We used to think going to Dallas was a big trip. Now we don't think much about picking up and going to Dallas to do something."

A self-taught switch-hitter, O'Donnell, who hit .330 for the Wildcats during District 17-4A play last spring, prefers to play summer ball in the popular BBI (Boys Baseball Incorporated) summer league in the Metroplex as a means of improving. The BBI draws players from all over North Texas.

O'Donnell's 15- to 16-year-old team, the Dallas Chaparrals, which is managed by Dallas dentist Fred Peitch, includes PHS teammate Aaron Bartula and players from Tyler, Rockwall, Mesquite and Edgewood, among others. This is O'Donnell's third year to play for Peitch.

"I think anything you can do to improve yourself as a player, and play with other players trying to do the same thing you're doing, there's no substitute for playing against as good a competition as you can," O'Donnell said.

He notes that his Palestine teammates also are working on their games this summer.

Three years ago, Steve Adair, the head coach at Trinity Christian Academy School in Dallas, told O'Donnell about the BBI league, which includes everything from tee ball to 17- to 18-year-old leagues.

"He used to own a place called Adair's Baseball World," O'Donnell said. "They put on camps and we got to be good friends with him. He told me that's really what I needed to do; I thought it really helped me as far as the competition. The main thing is the number of games you play.

"We'll play 40 to 45 games in the summer."

Before 1997 is over, however, O'Donnell will have played in three leagues and will likely have competed in between 90 to 100 baseball games, all the while trying to improve.

O'Donnell convinced himself to switch-hit during fall ball last September and October, and as a result found himself turning on 80-plus fastballs this spring. He homered from the left side of the plate off of Athens ace Matt Whitehead during an April contest.

"When I started, I felt really naturally left-handed," O'Donnell said. "I've really come on a lot faster than I thought I would. I have to hit 100 to 150 balls a day. If I don't hit enough, I start struggling. The last week or two (of school), I was out there hitting in the cage."

Although O'Donnell considers himself more of a catcher, he also pitched for the Wildcats last season. He'll likely pitch a few games for his summer league team, too.

"I may get to do a little more pitching next year," he said. "I really feel comfortable behind the plate. 'But I've sort of caught and pitched my whole life."

Before he graduates in 1999, O'Donnell would like to do a couple of things - including getting the Wildcats in the playoffs. He'd like to work on his catching mechanics, something he credits assistant coach James Boxley with, and above all continue to hit for a high average.

"I struggled a little this year, and this year was a little disappointing," O'Donnell said. "Hopefully next year I'll be able to do a little bit better. The sophomores from this year are really going to have to carry the team; that's where our players are."

Palestine, which slumped to 8-16 in 1996, will have but three seniors - Gary Wayne Turner, Cody Blackmon and Roger Pert - next season.

Two years ago, Palestine won its first four District 16-4A games, and was on the verge of becoming the first team in school history to make the playoffs. The Cats lost five of their last six league games, however, and finished 13-12 overall.

Despite posting its first winning record since 1989, and only the third winning record since 1974, the Wildcats finished the 1996 District 16-4A race with a 5-5 mark - two games removed from the playoffs.

Since 1961, Palestine has posted but eight winning records while compiling an overall mark of 275-447.

This past season, the Wildcats - who were short on pitching, forcing Coach Jack Estes to use as many arms as possible - couldn't get anything going. After finishing the first round of league play with a 3-4 record, PHS lost three straight games to seal its fate.

O'Donnell believes the Wildcats have what it takes to help end Palestine High's unbelievable 42-year consecutive playoff drought.

"Really, our class, all along, has competed well against other towns and themselves; our class is used to winning," O'Donnell said. "We're used to going out there and being able to compete well and do well. I think the winning attitude we're going to bring out there with eight or nine juniors is going to help us. We've had a problem in the past ... once we would lose a couple of games, we would just lose it. I think being able to keep our spirits up will help us next year."

In the meantime, O'Donnell will continue to make the 125-mile drive from Palestine to Dallas.

"It's not too bad," O'Donnell said. ---

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