CAMPUS L I F E
Field of Dreams Famous pitcher helping UMHB once again
Pictured, Baseball Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan, far left, stands on the location of the upgraded intramural fields, along with UMHB President Randy O'Rear; Ryan's grandson and UMHB senior, Jackson Ryan; and Ryan's son, Reid Ryan.
One of baseball's most famous pitchers, Nolan Ryan, is once again helping make sports on campus a dream come true. Ryan, who played with Major League Baseball teams for 27 years, and his son, Reid Ryan, who is a former president of the Houston Astros, are the owners of RS3 Turf—the company that was awarded the bid for the artificial turf that is soon to cover 2.6 acres of the intramural fields. In the 1990s, Nolan helped UMHB raise money through several golf
tournaments to build a new baseball field named Red Murff Field, which was originally located in the exact spot of the intramural fields. “Red Murff was the professional baseball scout who signed Nolan to his first contract,” explained Dr. Randy O’Rear, UMHB president. “Red helped UMHB start our baseball program when he and his wife lived on campus when she worked as a dorm director.” At that time, O’Rear was working to raise money for the university, and
at the request of then-president Dr. Bobby Parker and president-elect Dr. Jerry Bawcom, coordinated with Murff, who asked Ryan to sponsor three golf tournaments in the early ‘90s. This was during the peek of Ryan’s superstardom with the Texas Rangers, and interest was so great, the tournaments helped raise more than $150,000 to build the new Red Murff Field, which has since been relocated to the SportsPlex. “I think it’s really cool that our association with Nolan Ryan began when he helped us raise money for Red Murff Field, and now he is helping us once again through his turf company,” said O’Rear. “At the time, he and Michael Jordan were the most famous sports celebrities, and in spite of Nolan’s fame, he has always been the kindest and most gracious man.” Ryan’s grandson, Jackson Ryan, a senior at UMHB, is thrilled to see the improvements to the intramural fields, which he often enjoys playing on with his friends. “It’s great that it will be flat and people don’t have to worry about divots and getting sprained ankles, and if it’s raining, we can still come out and play,” said Jackson, who was a pitcher on the UMHB baseball team his freshman year. Paul “Crunch” and Carol McClinton of Waco committed a $1 million gift toward upgrading the intramural fields from natural grass to artificial turf and making other improvements, including field lighting, a pavilion, and permanent striping for the recreational sports played on the fields. Work on the fields is expected to be complete in October, and a dedication is planned for Oct. 22. F A L L 2 0 2 1 | UMHB LIFE 3
