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June 15, 2012

City celebrates champs

By MATT CHRISTIAN Princeton Times

PRINCETON — Tiger fever has overtaken Princeton in the wake of the Tigers' state championship in baseball and it culminated Monday in a pep rally and parade for the state champions.

Through out the County, businesses decorated signs to honor  to the Tigers.

For the Tigers players, Monday began with a dinner in their honor at Café Soleil in downtown.

Then, the Tigers fans, players, mascot, band, fire trucks from Princeton Fire Department and East River Volunteer Fire Department, and the Princeton Rescue Squad marched from Mercer Street to the school's gym for a pep rally.

Mercer County Schools Superintendent Deborah Akers was the first to speak at the pep rally.

“I am going to give you the key to success,” Akers asked the players, “Do you realize that many of those same qualities like hard work and teamwork are the keys to success beyond the sports world?”

Anxiously, the players nodded in the affirmative.

Princeton Mayor Patricia “Pat” Wilson followed with a resolution proclaiming Monday as Princeton Tigers Baseball Team Day within the city.

West Virginia Educator's Association, Dale Lee, a teacher and former coach at PSHS followed.

He said, “I'm speaking today as a former coach at Princeton High School. From when I was coaching until now, the biggest difference has been in community involvement and the way the community has built the facilities.”

Lee reminisced to 1991 before proclaiming that Tigers hitting facility had truly helped them to win the championship.

“I've been hearing it since [the seniors] were in the Senior League,” Lee said, “This group was and truly is special.”

Lee finished, “When I travel through out the state, I always proudly tell everyone that I am from Princeton. Now, I'll be saying I'm from the 2012 state champions in baseball.”

That comment caused the fans, players, and coaches present to rise and applaud the accomplishments of the players and coaches.

Other local and national politicians on hand included, Del. John Fraizer, Sen. Mark Wills, and a representative from US Sen. Joe Manchin's office.

US. Rep. Nick Rahall was also on hand to honor the Tigers.

Rahall said, “We can learn a lot from you in Washington. We could stand to learn about things like teamwork and helping each other. I'll make sure that we hear it in Washington too. I'm going to get the accomplishments of the Princeton Tigers noted in the Congressional record and each player will receive a copy.”

After Rahall's speech, came the moments that the players and the coaches had been waiting for. Coach Josh Wilburn presented Principal Jack Parker with the trophies that the team had won.

For the players, the school's administration had arranged a special treat for the players. Team bus driver Steve Jefferies performed a song with his harmonica listing the lineup of the Tigers against Nitro in the state championship game.   

Before he could start singing, Jefferies walked around and looked at the trophies for himself.

He said, “I just can't believe it.”

After his song was finished, the players and fans made it quite apparent that this generation of Tigers would never be forgotten.

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