Taking a Shot at the Show

As a catcher for his hometown Cheshire (Connecticut) High School, Brad Ausmus '91 was recruited by every coach in the Ivy League. Taking part in the courting dance was then-Dartmouth baseball coach Mike Walsh, who recalls first seeing Ausmus at a Major League Scouting Bureau tryout in the summer of 1986. "There were 17 or 18 catchers there," recalls Walsh, "and he had an incredible arm the arm of a prospect. Brad was the most talented player I'd ever recruited."

Even though Ausmus matriculated at the College, he never took his place behind the plate at Red Rolfe field. The New York Yankees chose him in the 48th round of the amateur draft. Three weeks before freshman week, Ausmus signed the standard minor league rookie pact of $700 a month during the season, with a signing bonus of about $20,000 and incentives for moving up through the Yankee system. Ausmus also became eligible for the Major League Baseball Scholarship Fund, which pays up to $3,000 a year for educational expenses.

Shifting between baseball and books is possible, Ausmus says, because Dartmouth has a "very understanding" registrar and dean, and the Yankee organization encourages his pursuit of a Dartmouth education. The decision to sign was his alone; his parents insisted only that he get a college degree. "They're strong advocates of education," says Ausmus, "but I felt that three years in the minor leagues would be more of an advantage than three years of college ball. I also considered the possibility that I might not be drafted again." Despite an unorthodox Dartmouth Plan, Ausmus maintains a 3.22 grade-point average. But life as a pro does not come without tradeoffs. He will graduate two terms behind his class.

Ausmus began his professional career in June, 1988, with the Oneonta Yankees of the New York-Penn League, the first stop for many prospects on their journey into the big leagues. Oneonta manager Brian Butterfield, who calls his catcher "a steal for a 48th-rounder," adds, "Brad has the entire package —he has great physical tools, he goes through all the necessary thought processes, and he can catch and throw as well as any catcher in the organization."

And what does the future hold? "There's no question that Brad will catch in the big leagues," Butterfield predicts. "His hitting will determine whether he's a front-line catcher or a backup. He still needs to develop some consistency, but his swing has gotten a lot better, and he's hitting for average now." Ausmus often goes to the park early to work on his stroke. The extra batting practice is paying off. In 52 games last season, he increased his average to. 2 61, with one home run and 18 RBIs respectable numbers for a catcher at any level.

Last fall, the Yankees sent Ausmus to the six-week Florida Instructional League. Playing against older, more experienced players, he made an impression. "The Philadelphia Phillies sent catchers from their double-A and triple-A teams," says Butterfield, "but Brad was head and shoulders above any catcher I saw there."

This month Ausmus reports to the Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa for spring training. From there, he'll be assigned to a team—most likely moving up to a higher league, says Butterfield. "This is a very big 'might'," he adds, "but by the end of the season, Brad might be playing as high as double-A." That's two long steps from the majors.

Catcher Brad Ausmus '91 snagged a pro contract with theYankees, plays minor ball, and still attends college.

Standings as of February 5. Men's Basketball 9-8 overall, 4-2 Ivy. Holy Cross broke Dartmouth's 19-game home-court winning streak. The Green retaliated by winning five straight, including a 75-74 win at Harvard. The boopsters, however, were unable to maintain the rally and dropped three of their next four games. With a 4-2 Ivy mark, it is still mathematically possible to win the title; however, the team is not in good health. Junior guard James Blackwell hurt his knee and is out for the season, and center Walter Palmer '90, Dartmouth's leading scorer, has been slow ed by back problems. Women's Basketball 15-2, 5-0 Ivy. Dartmouth extended its home-court w inning streak to 15 with wins over Ivy-rival Harvard, New Hampshire, and Colgate. Senior guard Sophia Neely is Dartmouth's leading scorer with a 15.9 point average while forward Nicole Hager '91 is averaging 12.4 points a contest. At the University of Massachusetts, guard Ute Bowman '90 handed out eight assists and passed Cindy Vaios '84 as Dartmouth's all-time assist leader. Men's Hockey 2-14-4, 2-10-4 EC AC. The Big Green hasn't won since it beat Army on .November 11. Women's Hockey 8-7-2, 4-2-1 Ivy. After a sluggish start, Dartmouth posted wins in six of its last ten matchups. Judy Parish '91 leads Dartmouth with 19 goals and 13 assists for 32 points. In goal, senior Kelley Coyne has stopped 456 shots and allowed 40 goals for a .919 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average. Men's Swimming 4-4 overall, 3-4 EISL. After early wins over Navy, Brown, and New Hampshire, Dartmouth dropped four of its next five. The lone win was a 58-55 squeaker over Penn. Women's Swimming 2-7 overall, 0-5 Ivy. The Big Green defeated rival Vermont, 142-98, but is dead in the water in Ivy competition. Alen's Squash 7-4 overall, 1-2 Ivy. The Big Green won four of its last five matches including a 9-0 win over Brown. Women's Squash 4-2 overall, 0-2 Ivy. Dartmouth came off 9-0 shutouts against Williams and Tufts with an 8-1 loss to Brown. Men's Track 3-0 overall, 0-0 Ivy. The Big Green defeated Northeastern, 87-58, and swept Rhode Island and UConn. Women's Track 4-1 overall, 0-0 Ivy. The women defeated UMass, Northeastern, Vermont, and Holy Cross, and lost to UConn. Men's Gymnastics 1-2 overall, 0-1 Ivy. The men beat MIT in their first meet but fell to Vermont and Cornell.