Oct. 25, 2007

by Louis Bonnette

Homecoming is the time to renew acquaintances and relive memories.

Wayne Savoy, a graduate of McNeese State, was reliving some of his college memories earlier this week, only a few days before the university's Homecoming on Saturday.

The Lake Charles native, who is now superintendent of education for Calcasieu Parish, earned both a bachelor and master degree in education from McNeese and spent two of his years - 1965 and 1966 - as a member of the Cowboy baseball team.

"When I played as a freshman, I played with a lot of guys that I really admired," he said. "We had an all-conference player in Johnny Hunter. He didn't hit for the big average but he made all-conference for his defensive play and his speed.

"Ken Rabalais was another all-conference player on the team. We had Bennie Hickman as a pitcher and Johnny Suydam and Bobby Craft were our catchers.

"I remember these guys really helping out us freshmen my first year. We came in as players who had only Little League, Babe Ruth League and American Legion experience. We were good enough to play high school ball, we just didn't have high school ball in Lake Charles at that time."

Savoy had gone to LaGrange High were he was an all-district running back in football (slot man in the slot-T for Jimmy Austin) and his baseball was played in the summer in the various leagues within the city.

"I grew up loving baseball. I played in all the leagues. My coaches in legion ball were Ray Jamalkowski and Bob Gilmore. And then guys like Frank Glenn would come out and help us.

"Growing up I never missed a game of the Lake Charles Lakers (the city's team in the old professional baseball Evangeline League)," he added.

Savoy had a look see from several schools for his football prowess but opted to play baseball in college.

"I remember being invited to attend one of McNeese's home football games. I stood on the sidelines with Greg Dowies, John Delaney, Theos Duhon and Bobby Gamble. That was something."

Savoy's height (5-6) and his weight (155 pounds) didn't help him much in the eyes of football recruiters. So instead of walking on in football (he had the chance at McNeese, Southwestern Louisiana and Northeast Louisiana) he decided on baseball at McNeese.

Ted Chapman coached the Cowboys during Savoy's freshman year and Desmond Jones came on for his second.

"I don't remember exactly how many games we played but we would start our season in March. We played in the old Gulf States Conference and played home and home with everyone.

"Back then we traveled in an old white station wagon and no matter how good you might have played in a game, the freshmen always sat in the back on the equipment. It wasn't so bad coming back because you could sleep but going it was very hard on you.

"One of the things that I remember most about those two years is that no matter who we played, we always went into the game thinking that we could win. We may not have won many, but we always went into the game thinking that we could win and that was a credit to the seniors we played with.

"I don't know of anyone who knew more about the way the game should be played than Johnny Suydam. He was behind the plate and when he wasn't he'd be at first base. He was out there helping all of us just like Bobby Craft, Ken Rabalais and Johnny Hunter."

Savoy said that Kirby Fontenot was one of the best players he played with at McNeese.

"He's one of the better athletes that I have been around. He could play any position and he could play it well. He could pitch, play infield, outfield, first base....he never had to catch but he could have done that also."

During Savoy's career the Cowboys played with wooden bats.

"They were the Louisville Sluggers," he said. "About 12 years ago we had an oldtimers game at McNeese and I got to use my first aluminum bat. It was amazing to me how the ball flies off the bat and comes at you so quick."

In his two seasons of play with the Cowboys (injuries forced him to curtail his collegiate playing career), Savoy had a .252 career batting average, playing in 52 games. One of his best days came in a doubleheader with Centenary as a freshman when he went five for eight at the plate, going four for four (all singles) as a leadoff batter in the second game.

After graduating from McNeese, Savoy went into education.

He said that Bobby Craft (who recently passed away after his own career in education) had a lot to do with where he is now.

"I was wrestling with coaching or teaching," Savoy said, "and Bobby told me that there were a lot of opportunities for men in elementary education. Back then the male teacher in elementary education was a rarity as it is now and there was a better opportunity to get into administration."

Savoy went that route but didn't get completely out of coaching.

"My first principal at Lincoln Junior High (now Molo) called me in and said that since I had played ball in high school and college I was going to be an assistant football coach, unpaid.

"So I coached there. A young man by the name of Nicky Hall played cornerback for me. One day he said he could throw the ball. I said let me see you throw it and he became our quarterback."

From there Savoy became assistant principal at Bell City High where he helped coach the track team and then he became principal, a supervisor in human resources, assistant superintendent and then superintendent on January 1, 2006.

The former Cowboy baseball player said that he hasn't seen many of his teammates in some time.

"Some I haven't seen since we played together. I do see Suydam and Kirby quite a bit but some of the guys have passed away and I have just lost touch with many of them.

"I do think about them though when baseball season comes around or when I pass the McNeese baseball diamond and realize how far the program has come and how proud I am of it."