THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 13, 1994 TAG: 9407130572
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
He had some problems in the field, which led to some adventurous plays at third base.
He had some frustrations as teams threw him everything except strikes.
And he lost more than 130 percentage points off his 1993 batting average.
That Princess Anne's Derek Lindsay did all these things and still easily made first-team All-Tidewater and All-State tells you all you need to know about what kind of player he is.
``Derek is probably one of the best all-around players ever to come out of the (Beach) District,'' Cavaliers' coach Leon Proffitt said. ``He hits the ball hard every time, he can pull the ball, he's got above-average speed, power and a strong arm. What else is there?''
Lindsay, who signed a letter of intent to attend East Carolina University in the fall, will display his skills today in the Virginia High School Coaches Association baseball all-star game at 7 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium.
And while he expects the game to be a lot of fun, Lindsay will be out to show the Pirates exactly what kind of player they're getting.
``I'm taking this extremely seriously,'' he said. ``I mean, you're stepping out on the field with the best players in the state. If you don't take it seriously, you'll make a fool out of yourself.
``This game will have a lot of the characteristics of a college game. Everyone can field, everyone can hit. It's just not something you can take lightly.''
It's this type of intensity that got Lindsay a Division I scholarship in the first place, Proffitt said.
``He's got all the physical tools, but nobody works harder than Derek, either,'' the coach said. ``And I think he felt extra pressure this year, because he had such an incredible year last season.''
As a junior, Lindsay hit a robust .553 and drove in 29 runs with just 28 hits. This season, he ``slumped'' to a .417 average with 20 RBIs.
``This year was kind of tough, mentally,'' he said. ``My team wasn't as strong as it's been in the past, and teams pitched around me here and there.''
According to Proffitt, First Colonial coach Norbie Wilson told him flat out he wasn't going to let Lindsay beat him.
Normally a sure-handed fielder, Lindsay also struggled defensively this season.
``We struggled as a team this year,'' Proffitt said. ``At times, Derek might have been trying to do too much.''
These days, Lindsay isn't doing much at all athletically. At 19, he's too old for American Legion ball, and he's passing on other summer leagues, opting instead to work as a host at a pancake restaurant.
It's a rare break from competition for Lindsay, one of the area's most complete athletes during his days at Princess Anne.
A two-time all-region pick at linebacker, Lindsay was the Cavaliers' leading tackler this season. And in wrestling, a sport he used primarily as conditioning for baseball, Lindsay finished second in the region at 189 pounds as a junior.
Lindsay didn't wrestle his senior year, in part because the 6-1, 210-pounder didn't want to cut weight. And while he talked to some colleges about playing football - according to Proffitt, Richmond approached him about playing football and baseball - there never was much doubt in Lindsay's mind about which sport he would pursue collegiately.
``I started playing baseball when I was six years old,'' he said. ``I didn't step on a football field until the seventh grade. I didn't start wrestling until the eighth grade. Baseball's always been the main thing I do.''
East Carolina was one of the first schools to express serious interest in Lindsay, Proffitt said. And while many other Division I schools, including Clemson, Georgia and Old Dominion, eventually got into the running, Lindsay signed with the school which worked hardest to get him.
``I'd have to say ECU showed the most consistent interest,'' Lindsay said. ``Plus I really like the facility they have there, and it's fairly close to home.'' ILLUSTRATION: FILE PHOTO
Derek Lindsay, who signed a letter of intent with East Carolina,
expects to show the Pirates what he can do, while still having fun.
MOTOYA NAKAMURA
/Staff
Derek Lindsay, who signed a letter of intent with East Carolina,
expects to show the Pirates what he can do, while still having fun.
by CNB