"The Happiest Team in America", as the 1985 Hurricanes were dubbed by Coach Ron Fraser...
won the school's 2nd National Championship with a 10-6 victory over the Texas Longhorns !
In what could only be described as a Fairy Tale CWS for the Canes, former bullpen catcher Greg Ellena was named the
College World Series MVP after getting 12 hits in 25 at bats, including 3 home runs and 8 RBIs... and a 4 for 5 performance in the title game. Ellena also had a 9th inning 2-run home run to bring Miami from behind
in an elimination game against Miss. State !
"The Bull" as Greg was nicknamed, led an improbable cast of characters... with "The Spiderman", All American and UMSHoF member Rick Raether, with 2 wins and a save, along with UMSHoF members freshman Mike Fiore who had 7 hits, and senior Calvin James, who had 8 stolen bases in the CWS.
The Wizard of College Baseball, UMSHoF member Coach Ron Fraser, pulled out his lucky shoes...a couple of sizes too small...
that he wore during the 1982 National Championship...and the magic worked again ! The shoes, now bronzed, can be seen in the UM Sports Hall of Fame !
Along with MVP Elena, the All Tournament Team included UMSHoF member Kevin Sheary, who came into the CWS with a 4-4 record after battling injuries all year, but came away with 3 victories in Omaha...and catcher Chris Magno , who missed both the championship game and the celebration back in Coral Gables while in an Omaha hospital with a blood clot in his right armpit, which was discovered by UM athletic trainer Vinny Scavo prior to the game.
Members of the 1985 National Champions gather at the dedication of the Ron Fraser Statue at Mark Light Field in 2015...their 30th Anniversary Reunion.
RSS Feed