Sports Memories
Memories shared by alumni in commemoration of centennial. Share your memories with us too.
Billy Parrott, '74 ~ Dr. Leo Jenkins leading a cheer after winning a football game against UNC and Dr. Leo Jenkins leading success for med school at ECU.
Richard Krentz, '84 ~ I transferred to ECU in 1981 from Louisburg College. My initial
contact with ECU was through the footbal program. I had received several letters from the coaching staff about playing football. The
interest turned "luke warm" in 1980 when I injured my knee during my senior year in high school. I remained in contact with the coaching
staff throughout my freshmen year at Louisburg College and eventually transferred to ECU and tried to walk-on as a sophmore. Unfortunately I reinjured my knee and had to stop playing football and work on my degree. The support staff in the athletic program and the support staff in the School of Technology were all extremely helpful and compassionate. Two of my professors, Dr. Norman Pendered and Dr. Fred Broadhurst (my advisor) both assisted me after my injury and surgery. I have very fond memories of both of them and the School of Technology. I would not be in the position that I am today had it not been for both of these gentlemen. I am currently a Senior Vice-President and Branch Administrator for KS Bank in Smithfield NC. I have been in the ECU Pirate Club for 21 straight years and have supported the School of Technology. I have fond and dear memories of my time at ECU and frequently share them with my two boys. "Happy Birthday East Carolina."
Mike Morgan, '02 ~ My fondest memory of being at ECU actually occured at another school.
It was a late fall night in 1999. Eastern North Carolina had been devastated by a Hurricane by the name of "Floyd." ECU was to play #9
Miami in what turned out to be the greatest game I've ever been apart of. NC State was gracious enough to allow us to play at their stadium
and our boys, led by David Garrard, didn't disappoint. After falling behind by over 20 points at half time, our boys led a charge for a
dramatic late game victory! The goal posts had to come down, which majority of the booster club members in the stands didn't agree with.
Nicole DeCarlo, '04 ~ My favorite memory was when myself and two of my friends went to the ECU vs. Louisville basketball game. I had never been to a game that was that packed and so full of energy. Even though we lost, they played a good game and we cheered the whole time.
Jim Daniels, '67 ~ The victory by the Pirates in the 1992 Peach Bowl was very special here in Rocky Mount, NC. It pitted neighborhood against neighborhood,with banners and all kinds of decorations in yards all over.Bragging rights went to the winning alumni. I won and wrote the following to rub it in a little. All in fun.In the distant hills come the sounds of the Pack,
Wolves running wildly along the Georgian fields,
Anticipating becoming big,fat,purple people eaters,
Devouring the Pirates of ECU,
But unknowing to the big dumb animals,
This team of Pirates have become something new,
The meat of the wolf, a delicacy indeed,
Ripping and tearing and devouring the wolf complete,
Just as they did the last time of the meet,
Fulton county is overrun with these wild dogs,
But thining the pack is a job for a few,
Good players on the Pirate club from ECU,
When the dust has settled and the game is no more,
37 to 34 in favor of the Pirates will be the score,
The Pack will retreat to Raleigh licking their wounds,
Hoping to not run up against a Pirate anytime soon.
Jim also shared these memories of playing baseball:
I treasure my years playing as a Pirate on the ECU baseball team in those years. I feel that in my life, I can look to that as a special gift I received while attending ECU. I love baseball and ECU. What could be any better than that? Earl Smith was a great coach who taught all the right things for then and later in life. Thanks Coach Smith and ECU for a great memory and something I am very proud of now and the rest of my life.
Johnnie M. Ellis Jr., '80 ~ The best memory I have of East Carolina is the season we had when we won the Peach bowl. The last second victories over Pitt and NC State. Every game was a thriller; you knew we were going to win the game; you just didn't know how. Also watching Oliver Mack play at Minges; we need more players of that caliber.
Alicia Register Mecum, '83 ~ I attended ECU 1980-1983. I lived in Greene dorm and was a FNIM major. I loved ECU! I partied alot and loved the football program. My favorite memories are of those home game football Saturdays and all the great times I had with my friends cheering on the Pirates.
Billy Dye, '00 ~ The first ECU football game my Freshman year vs Virgina Tech. ECU was ranked, Michael Vick was playing for Tech, and ESPN was there. The fan atmosphere at the start of the game was unlike anything I had ever seen, or would ever see again. We lost the game, but just prior to kickoff I remember thinking to myself how awesome it was to be in college, and this is what it was all about.
Jeff Paules ~ 1992 New Year's Day Peach Bowl -- ECU VS. NCSU -- The Pirates down by 17 points at the 8:41 mark in the 4th quarter rally to beat the Wolfpack in Atlanta, Georgia. Jeff Blake leads the offense on multiple drives including the go ahead score to TE Luke Fisher. -- PIRATES WIN IN DRAMATIC FASHION FINISHING 11-1 and ranked #9 in the nation.
This was my most memorable memory of a bowl game and I was there!
Thomas Brame, '85 ~ I was lucky enough to witness the GMAC Bowl that pitted ECU against Marshall, the last bowl that ECU participated in 2001. Wow, what a great game! The passing attacks of David Garrard against Byron Leftwich was incredible in this double overtime slugfest. It definitely was the best bowl game of that college season and probably the best game that I have ever attended. Interesting how the two quarterbacks are now playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars. I wish I could attend this year's game but will not be able to go. I am so proud of the great job that Skip Holtz has done in just two years with the Pirates.
Go Pirates!
Randy Cole ~ I attended the Peach Bowl against NC State with my brother-in-law. I remember how cold it was in the parking lot with the wind blowing, but how comfortable we were in the stadium surrounded by Purple and Gold. We stood for the entire game. Our seats were on the goal line down low on the end zone where the winning touchdown was scored. I don’t think I have ever cheered as long or as loud. I was hoarse for 3 days after the game but it was worth every minute.
Sharon Bland, '01 and '04, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Programs ~ My favorite bowl game memory is from the galleryfurniture.com bowl at the Astrodome, Houston, TX, in 2000. ECU won over Texas Tech 40-27. Keith Stokes sprinting down the field through all the Texas Tech defenders for a touchdown (something like a 98-yard return, if memory serves me well) was a sight to behold! Looking for one of this year's players to give us a repeat at the papajohns.com bowl in Birmingham! GO PIRATES!!!!!
Heather Ham, '95 ~ My favorite memory of a ECU Bowl Game was win ECU played NCSU in the Peach Bowl. It was freezing cold but the weather did not matter when ECU came back and beat NCSU. I was a freshman in the Marching Pirates and I had a blast.
Bill Burton, '65 ~ My wife Carol and I are planning to go to Birmingham to see the Pirates play a Big East Conference opponent on Saturday, December 23, 2006. We've come a long ways since the Carolina's Conference days of the early
60's. It's good to see the Pirates back in a bowl game. My college years were some of the best of my life. I am proud to have been an integral part of the history and the growth of East Carolina University. Being a student athlete was truly special. GO ECU and GO PIRATES . . .
Roy Martin, '67 ~ I'd just like to offer an additional tidbit of information about East Carolina's 1961 national championship baseball team pictured in Upon the Past in the last issue [of East magazine]. I was the Daily Reflector reporter who accompanied the team to Sioux City and spent the week covering the Pirates' games as well as taking photographs. I'm 99.9 per cent sure I took the picture of the players looking for four leaf clovers. But the picture was taken on the campus of Morningside College where we stayed while we waited for a bus to transport us to the stadium. That last win for the championship is as exciting today as it was all those years ago. When Cotton Clayton's bases-loaded home run won the game, I watched the ball until it went out of sight over the fence. That was a great team with great players and a marvelous coach in Jim Mallory. Thank you for the look back.
Rod Gray, '94 Pee Dee Pirate Mascot ~ One of my fondest memories while at ECU was the football season in 1991. WE BELIEVE! I was one of the "Pee Dee" the Pirate Mascots. What a magical year this was for The football Pirates and everyone involved with East Carolina University. We finished 9-1,ranked #9 in the country, Robert Jones was an All American, Bill Lewis was the National Coach of the Year, and we beat NC State on the last play of the game at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. It did not get much better than that. I will say the most memorable game of that year was when we came from behind to beat a nationally ranked University of Pittsburgh in front of a record breaking crowd. At the end of the game we scored a touchdown to come from with in one point of the Panthers. Instead of going for the tie by kicking an extra point, we went for two and Jeff Blake scored to put us up by one point. I can remember everyone in Ficklen Stadium jumping up and down, waving their yellow sabres, creating the most noise I have
ever heard from the stadium and chanting WE BELIEVE! At the end of that game the students came onto the field to tear down both goal posts for the second time in the same season. During the excitement some very excited and intoxicated students came up behind me (Pee Dee) and tackled me to the ground removing the head of the costume and running down the field with it and the sword. Fortunatley, I only suffered a bloody nose and was able to get "Pee Dee's" head back within a few minutes. However, it took several days and a plead from The East Carolinian for the students to return the sword. I am confident we will continue to propser as a football team. However, matching the memories of that very magical season will be very difficult. WE BELIEVE!!! GO PIRATES!!!
Jamie Williams, '04 ~ My fondest memory at ECU was when the Pirates played Miami at NC State after Hurricane Floyd. The fans rushed the field after the win and took the goal posts down. It was an emotional game and a victory that no student at that time will ever forget!
Lindsey Ham, '97 ~ In February 1983, I decided I wanted to play football at ECU and went out for the team during spring practice. I had not played any high school football, but I knew I could play the game. ECU Head Football Coach Ed Emory was tough, fair and honest with me every step of the way and I did indeed made that team (I knew I had skills). I'll remember him for the rest of my life because of his approach to allowing me to fulfill my fantasy. I became a member of one of the great ECU teams ever to take the field, and coach Emory is a VITAL cog in my history as an athlete. The confidence I gleaned from that experience has permeated every other task I've since undertaken, and there have been many.....including Officer Candidate School, two combat deployments to Iraq, 6 years as a civilian police officer, and a myriad of coaching positions along the way. I went back to ECU and finished a BA in Psychology in 1997. Thank you Coach Ed Emory . . .
Raine Jirak, '95 ~ I have to agree with my alumni that the win over NC State in the Peach Bowl was my fondest memory at ECU. We were down, but not out. Atlanta never knew what hit them after the pirates stormed through downtown at New Years Eve!
Donna Roberson, '86 ~ When I attended ECU in the early 1980's, we had a local man who would dress as a pirate and ride in on a beautiful white horse for home football games. He would brandish his sword and fire a cannon off for each touchdown. I miss him - such a realistic symbol of our ECU Pirates!
John Cowan, 2004 ~ My memory is my freshman year, Hurrican Floyd flooded Greenville and the whole eastern part of NC. The football team as a result had to play the Miami Hurricans in Raleigh at Carter-Finley Stadium. We were down 20-3 at half-time and our airplane bottles were running out. We quickly scored in the second half I believe off a kick return from Keith Stokes. Then there was just a momentum swing and it came down to final couple of minutes. ECU ended up winning 27-23 and it was an awesome feeling. Miami was #9 in the nation at the time. We had made a incredible comeback and that was probably the greatest football game I have ever seen in person. I still have my "lucky airplane bottle".
Pat Lane '67 ~ This is more of a milestone. I transferred to ECU from Catawba College Fall semester, 1964. ECU's first football opponent of the 1964 season
was Catawba. How times and Dowdy Ficklen have changed! The out of conference 2007 schedule is Virginia Tech, UNC-CH, West Virginia and N. C. State. I doubt much has changed athletically at Catawba except they aren't playing the Pirates.
John Simpson, '76 ~ Meeting people from other areas of the country, making friends that have lasted a life time and all the time trying to figure why I was in school. I think rowing on the crew team helped me do just that. After leaving school, to work and travel, and then returning two years
later my best memories were of Geology Classes and the professors that took the extra time to ensure that I was learning and not just filling a seat. That education has made the difference (positive difference) in my life.
Kevin Meisel ~ My fondest memory was defeating the UNC-Chapel Hill swim team at Minges Coliseum in December of 1977. UNC's first year coach, Frank Comfort, brought a much stronger squad to Greenville that night, but Coach Ray Scharf had us fired up to win. I established a freshman & varsity record by winning the 1000 yard freestyle in the evening's first individual event, and my teammates followed suit with more victories and record setting swims as the meet progressed. This was truly a team effort and a sweet victory for all those attending that night!
Billy Thorne, '79 ~ I have so many outstanding memories of my time at ECU. I was co-captain of the Pirate Swim team 77-78. All of my teammates over the years have meant so much to me. Most of us are still a very tight group. Dec 1977 probably stands out more that anything. The UNC Tarheels brought a strong squad, fresh off a victory at the Penn State Relays the weekend before to Greenville. We dominated the Freestyle events with Sr. big John McCauley winning both the 50 and 100 Free. I won the 200 Free. Freshman Kevin Meisel won both the 500 and 1000 free. Then Jr. John Tudor, fresh off a healed broken ankle added the 200 IM and another event. Jr. Mark Lovett surprised the Heels with his performance in the 200 Butterfly. The meet came down to the 400 Free relay. We had gone 1,2,4,5 in this event. First year UNC Coach Frank Comfort told his team they could win the relay and win the meet. Big John, myself, Ted, and Tude won that event going away. The crowd was on their feet the entire meet and the noise was unbelieveable. Our Wrestling Coach and Athletic Director at that time both called it "The Most Exciting" sports event in the history of ECU up to that date. Coach Ray Scharf and Assistant Henry Morrow had our team prepared for the biggest victory in Pirate Swimming history. The old "Crews Nest" hosted a party we all will never forget. Sr. Ross Bohlken amazed us with his driving abilitries that night. Co-Captian Ron Schnell got to witness Ross' feats of strength first hand. Thanks ECU, Coach Ray Scharf and my teammates over those years. I remember and love you all.
