Changing of the guard at Dudy Noble

By David Murray

An era ends, another begins, and Mississippi State baseball continues to set the standard.

Of course this was not just any old era that ended June 5, 1997, the day Ron Polk stepped down as Mississippi State baseball coach after 22 seasons and 888 victories. Yet neither did an ordinary era begin that same afternoon with the ascension of Pat McMahon to head coach, the job for which "Mac" has been preparing since he was an MSU graduate assistant.

No wonder that at the afternoon press conference, two days after the Bulldogs ended their season in the College World Series, Athletic Director Larry Templeton spoke of the conflicting feelings. "It's with mixed emotions that we change the leadership of the baseball program," he said. "For the past 22 years our program has been one of the elite programs in America under Coach Polk.

Polk

"But the future is here. And we give Pat the reigns of our program with the full confidence that the time is right and the man is right to continue the great tradition of Mississippi State baseball."

"It's a very exciting challenge," McMahon said, "to continue the fine tradition of Mississippi State baseball that has been maintained by such outstanding coaches as Dudy Noble, Doc Patty, Paul Gregory, and Ron Polk. I'm fortunate to have been a part of that proud tradition since 1981, and I look forward to adding to it."

The promotion was as anticipated as it was obvious. McMahon was offered the post in 1991 when Polk briefly resigned to battle NCAA rulings on college baseball. Polk soon un-resigned, but his heir was apparent, and McMahon did return to Mississippi State in 1994 as co-head coach with the promise he would succeed Polk when the time came.

The time came this year. After winning the NCAA South II Regional at Dudy Noble Field and directing State to Omaha for his fifth and final time, Polk decided it was indeed time. Not just for the program, but for himself.

"After 31 years of college coaching, and 22 of those years heading up the Bulldog baseball program, it is time to turn the program over to Pat," Polk said. "There were several times during the season when I thought about making my intentions known, but I didn't want to take anything away from the successful season."

Actually, Polk's retirement was a season-long subject anyway, with the most popular scenario that if State reached the College World Series he would take the opportunity to leave on a high note. Polk, though, had made up his mind long before the Bulldogs beat Washington to advance to Omaha. And State had long ago decided who would take over.

"The strength of any good organization is to have quality people prepared to take the leadership role when you call," Templeton said. "Pat has been loyal and dedicated to Ron and this university. He has the experience of being a head coach and the advantage of understanding the expectations of Bulldog baseball."

McMahon

Those expectations are high and historic. As McMahon pointed out, this is not the first time a legendary Diamond Dog coach has relayed the throw to an even more successful successor. Noble to Patty to Gregory, each took the program to greater heights.

Yet this transition is more momentous than any before, and likely any to come. This was Ron Polk, whose name is not only synonymous with Mississippi State baseball, but with college baseball itself.

The record is well-known: 1,034 wins in 31 college seasons; 16 NCAA regional appearances; six College World Series teams; 98 players advancing to professional baseball, 11 to the major leagues. Polk has more victories than any coach in SEC history in any sport, ever.

Polk himself is more proud of other numbers, such as his 17 former MSU assistants who are now head college coaches, 10 more who are college assistants, and the 15 head high school baseball coaches who got their start as one of Polk's folks.

One of Polk's great legacies is not even in Starkville. It is found on almost every other campus in the SEC, where new stadiums have been built or existing facilities expanded. Since 1987, new stadiums have opened at Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

In the 1980s, Polk and five-figure Mississippi State crowds proved to skeptical administrators that college baseball was an image-booster, and could even turn a profit. A new baseball stadium became a necessity around the league. These shiny hardball palaces may not be filled as often or as fully as Dudy Noble Field, but all SEC programs surely benefited. When the Southeastern Conference boasted half of the eight-team field at the 1997 College World Series, ultimately Polk must be given the credit.

Of course the irony has not been lost on Bulldog fans, who in the 90s have watched State teams battling programs that owed their newfound strength to MSU's trailblazing. But as Polk often said over his 22 seasons at Mississippi State, "That's baseball."

McMahon understands this better than anyone. He was instrumental in the glory years of the 80s, first as a graduate assistant and then from 1983-89 as the top assistant and pitching coach for Polk.

"Mac" made a difficult choice after the brilliant 1989 Diamond Dog season, to leave Mississippi State and become a head coach at Old Dominion. But everyone understood it was a temporary move. "There's no question that Pat is prepared to continue the great baseball tradition at Mississippi State," Templeton said.

Emotions are far more mixed for McMahon than anyone, obviously. This is what he has worked for his entire career, but at the cost of ending a winning partnership, personally and professionally. That's what happens in the transition of eras, and even the new head coach will find it difficult not to see No. 1 in his regular seat at the far end of the third base dugout.

"It's been a great ride," McMahon said. "And I hope that run continues."

It will, with a new/old at the wheel. McMahon does have his style of coaching, of course. He has said that the Bulldogs might run more often and put more pressure on defenses than State teams traditionally have. Already he has made some adjustments to the annual practice cycles, trimming some of the fall workout schedule to lengthen the time the Bulldogs have for their preseason.

But these are hardly dramatic changes when you consider that the university is upping the ante for college baseball facilities once again, with an ambitious expansion plan for Polk-DeMent Stadium.

In August, the long-rumored plan was revealed, announcing that chairback seating will be expanded by 1,034, and that luxury "skyboxes" are to be built atop the grandstand. If the expected funding is secured on schedule, then as the '98 Diamond Dogs exit the field after the last home game they will meet construction crews entering the grounds to begin work. The entire project would be completed in time for the 1999 home opener.

Polk and McMahon embrace at the June press conference where the baseball leadership changed hands.

And who better to head up the expansion than Mississippi State's new assistant athletic director, Ron Polk. "When I made the decision to give up coaching baseball, Larry (Templeton, athletic director) made my title assistant AD for special projects," Polk said. "And this is the first one."

The seating expansion has long been a goal at Polk-DeMent Stadium. Since its 1987 opening, there has been a waiting list for grandstand seats, particularly the lower level box seats. Over the years, a few of these prime seats have become available, but there are still more than 400 standing requests for one or more seats.

With skyboxes, though, Mississippi State is again leading the way nationally. The current plan is to have two separate rows of boxes flanking the press box, with nine boxes to a side. The private-access boxes have 10 permanent seats in front of the sliding glass door, and room for five more seats inside. Kitchen, lavatory, and climate control facilities are included.

A special feature will be a skywalk from Humphrey Coliseum to the skybox level, which means the boxes also can be used during basketball season. A separate ramp and parking lot exclusively for boxholders will be built behind the third base grandstand.

Boxes, like the seats, are bought on a 10-year basis. Each box is $120,000 up front, or $140,000 over 10 years, with option to renew. Each plan requires the purchase of 10 season tickets. If demand exceeds supply, alternate plans call for extra skyboxes atop the press box.

This project keeps Polk involved in Bulldog baseball and Mississippi State athletics. He will likely also assist in expansion plans for Scott Field and other projects, if he can resist offers from professional and amateur baseball organizations. A veteran of six national team tours, he says coaching the USA club is an attractive idea, especially if it meant he could stay in Starkville the rest of the year.

"Financially, thankfully, I don't have to work, so I can be pretty picky. But I'm happy to be an assistant AD and have a role in the Athletic Department."