Boston College Athletics
A Birdball Family
November 18, 2013 | Baseball
Nov. 18, 2013
Written by senior Kristen Scott
It had been 41 years since they last saw each other. Former Boston College baseball players Bill Medea ('71), Steve Micherone ('72), and Fred Flynn ('72) reunited to play a round of golf at the annual Tee it Up for Birdball Golf Tournament on Oct. 4. Although more than four decades had passed since they took the field together, very little had changed.
"We picked up giving each other a hard time instantly," said Medea. "`You look the same, but you haven't grown an inch!' [Micherone] told me. You get that bond and it never goes away."
A member of the baseball team from 1970-1972, Micherone remembers his former teammates fondly.
"Freddie Flynn was a great shortstop and Billy Medea was a centerfielder who had a real shot at becoming a major leaguer. They both played with a very high level of intensity. They were and are `winners'. I was reminded of that when I saw them 41 years later," he said.
Medea, a centerfielder and captain during his playing career at BC, established the first formal fall ball schedule. In hopes of expanding the program, he wanted the team to play as many games possible. Medea oversaw the entire organization of the fall program as a senior. He arranged practices, ran workouts and scheduled games with help from his teammates.
"I wanted to grow the program," Medea said. "We were just guys who wanted to play baseball."
Under the initiative of Medea and his teammates, the fall ball program succeeding in providing more opportunities for the 1972 team to compete.
"I knew when I started doing the fall ball program that it would work because of the help I got along the way from the guys [on the team]. They're the disciplined, talented, organized souls that are the type of guys you get at BC," said Medea.
The BC baseball program has grown and developed significantly since Micherone's, Flynn's and Medea's playing days.
"Its amazing how the baseball program has evolved since then," Flynn said. "We had no baseball scholarships, no spring or Southern trips and we played a much more limited schedule - only against New England teams and only 25 games my senior year - mostly in cold weather."
Now, the team travels to Fort Meyers, Fla., to play an annual exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox at the World Champions' spring training facility. The 2013 schedule included 52 games against ACC opponents from North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
As a senior, Flynn earned the Fr. Frank Sullivan Varsity Club scholarship as one of the BC's top scholar athletes. His time playing baseball at Boston College was about more than awards though.
"Being a member of the baseball team was a valuable part of my overall time and experience at BC. I loved the athletic camaraderie and opportunity to compete at the collegiate level in my favorite sport," said Flynn.
Micherone echoes his former teammate's thoughts. He considers being a part of the baseball program the highlight of his four years at BC.
"The camaraderie on the team was very strong all three years and I couldn't wait to go to practice each day, regardless of the cool temperatures, regardless of where we were in the standings. It was definitely one of the most positive experiences in my life," he said.
All three men have carried the lessons they learned as members of the BC baseball team with them after college. From leading a fall ball team to staying motivated during a losing season to developing life-long relationships, these experiences in baseball helped cultivate their attitudes in life.
"I learned how to compete with class and to win and lose with dignity," Micherone said. "I can't think of a single time when I didn't run hard after hitting a ground ball or when I loafed in the field (likewise for Billy and Freddie). I've tried very hard over the years to bring that same commitment to other aspects of my life. I've also learned how important it is to enjoy those moments that will stay with you for the rest of your life. I'm 63 years old now and many of those moments still feel like they happened a short while ago."
Medea took his experiences in BC baseball and football to coach for eight years following graduation. He values his memories of playing baseball at Boston College dearly.
"The older I get, the prouder I am of the player I was, the prouder I am to be an alum," said Medea.
No matter how much time has passed between them, Medea, Micherone and Flynn remain strongly connected through their Birdball family.
