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University Daily Kansan, April 28, 1983
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Heeney brothers find niche in Javhawk lineup
By TRACI CLARK
Sports Writer
The Heeney brothers may be an announcer's nightmare, but they make up for it by being a coach's dream.
The three brothers, Jim, Joe and John, all start for the Jayhawk varsity, a rarity at KU and in college baseball.
"I don't think in college baseball I've ever seen three brothers on the same team," said Marty Pattin, head baseball coach.
Jim is a 22-year-old senior who plays right field. He and center fielder Dick Lewallen were selected by their teammates as co-captains this year.
JOE, 21. IS a junior and plays third base.
John is a 19-year-old sophomore. He broke into the starting rotation this year and has been pitching the second game on first base in first double-header on the weekends.
When looking into the history of each Heeney brother, it would not appear at all unusual that each one had ended up where he is today.
Each started playing when he was in second grade. Jim and Joe played off and on after that on the same teams.
"John was more on his own because of his age," said Jim.
JOE SAID, "We have never been pushed to do anything by our parents, but they have always supported us. Rarely did all three of us have a game at the table. If I had given us of our dad would go to one game, and my dad would go to the other."
Jim agreed that their parents had been supportive of their sons' interest in baseball. "Yeah, they've spent quite a bit of time at the ballfields," Jim said. "It was always good when we played at 3 & 2 Stadium (in Lenexa) because they could just go back and forth from field to field."
"Mom and Dad are our biggest fans," said John.
Their parents, Don and Nancy Heeney, were quick to agree about their time contribution.
"WE HAVEN'T MISSED many games." Doen Heeny said. "We've spent several thousand hours watching ever since they started playing."
Don Heeney takes a half-a-day of vacation time each Wednesday so that he can watch the KU home games. And he likes to be there early.
"Don has to be there to watch them take infield," Nancy Hencyen said. "If he doesn't see it then he feels like he's missed part of the game." She teases
other. We know what our limitations are. We all want the other to do well. We're supportive."
JOE BACKED UP his brother, something they do often. "If one of us does well, it helps the others to have a standard," Joe said. "But we don't try to outdo each other."
John put in his two books on the subject also. "It's fun playing with them. There's always someone around to pick you up."
According to the brothers, playing on the same team has only advantages,
John walked on this year, an unusual entry for a starting pitcher.
'The team doesn't think of us as brothers when we're out on the field. We're three individual players.'
—Joe Heeney 3rd baseman
him about the times he's arrived at games so early that he beat the teams
"We've always gone to watch them play." Don Heeney said. "Our interest and desire had an awakening to do with it. We had an awakened parent to watch in whatever they're doing."
THE HEENEYS HAVE made some sacrifices in the name of sports over the years, like eliminating summer vacations.
"We've gone on vacations, but if they started in a program, we thought it was their obligation to be there." said Don Heeney.
One question the brothers are often asked is how they feel about their year-round togetherness. None could think of a single complaint.
"We don't have much trouble." Jim said. "It helps being old in the way we get along. But people always want to know if we're competing with each
"I would have gone out last year, but I wanted to take a year off." John said.
"WE DIDN'T REALLY have to talk him into it, he wanted to play." Joe said. "He just had to get his feet wet and experience college."
"We make comments to each other to help." Jim said. "We don't have to sugarcoat it as much when we talk to each other."
"We can say stuff to each other that we can't say, or someone else." Joe said. "We're supposed to talk to each other."
The Heeneys are bothered by being recognized as brothers rather than as three individuals, especially when it comes to baseball.
COACH PATTIN understands their individuality. He described Jim as serious, Joe as quiet and John as happy-go-lucky. But, he said, when it comes to baseball they are all very serious.
"It's an individual kind of sport." Jim said. "The best way to help the team is to do your job the best way you can."
"The team doesn't think of us as brothers when we're out on the field." Joe said. "We're three individual players."
John agreed "it's neat, but the brother stuff" is getting old. It no big air in it.
"Jim is a 'rah-rah' type kid. He keeps the team fired up." Pattin said. "Joe is just a hardcore player, and John is the 'loose-goose' type where nothing bothers him. He gets the job done."
They all have their separate specialties. Jim and Joe have become solid fielders and hitters, and John is having a successful pitching season.
"John is not afraid to go after somebody. He's aggressive on the mount," Pattin said. "Jim and Joe are excellent fielders. Jim is one of our most consistent outfielders and is a good lead-off hitter."
EACH EXCELS AT his position, with John sporting a 3-0 record on the mound with a 390 ERA. Joe posting the second best batting average, .330, for the 'Hawks and Jim holding the best fielding stats with a 390 percentage.
"Mark Gile, our second baseman, is the top hitter on the team." Joe said. "And Dick Lewallen just broke the school record for career hits. It's always easier when you play on a good team. If you have good people around you, it makes you look that much better."
Each might admit to his own abilities, but quickly turns the conversation to another topic.
THE THREE MAY not be together as much when school is out, as their summer plans are still up in the air. Jim will be graduated in May, Joe might play semi-pro ball because Pattin is looking for a good team for him, and John has been asked to pitch for a semi-pro team in Batebite, Neb.
New York extended its lead in the eighth with a four-run innning, highlighted by Roy Smallley's three-run homer. With one out, Don Baylor and Ken Griffey singled and Smallley scored the left field seists for his third home run of the year. Randolph then added an RBI single off reliever Mike Armstrong.
"I like to go fishing with my brothers or with a good friend of mine, Jeff Manning." Joe said. "I just like being outside."
One thing for the summer is certain all three of them are bound to do some fishing.
"I like fishing and hunting," Jim said. John joined this concensus on fishing but said he liked playing another sport, too.
"I've started playing golf recently and I like it," he said.
"I have some interviews lined up but still don't know what I will be doing," Jim said. "I'd really enjoy doing something outside, I just don't know. But everyone dreams of a chance to get into the big leagues."
The Heeneys would like to play semi-pro ball this summer, but if they don't, each would like to work.
JERRY MUMPHREY OPENED the third with a single and went to third on a single by Willie Randolph. Randolph stole second and, after Dave Winfield struck out, Kemp singled through the right side, knocking in both runs.
John, Jim, and Joe Heeney got an unwanted day off yesterday when rain canceled yesterday's double-header with Northwest Missouri State. The three brothers are all starters for the Jayhawks.
Golf team ties for 4th
The Jayhawks, who were one stroke ahead of Missouri prior to yesterday's final play of play, toured the Quill Creek course in 333 strokes, one stroke ahead of the Tiers, finishing in a tie.
The Kansas women's golf team, dueling Missouri for a chance to finish in the upper division of the Big Eight tournament for the first time in several years, ended in a tie with the Tigers for fourth place in the tournament in Oklahoma City yesterday.
The left-hander, who was hit hard in his first start of the season and was banished to the bulpen, walked none and struck out one. He got 12 ones on fly outfitted, outfitted, many of them deep. Dennis Leonard took the loss, falling to 2-3.
NEBRASKA, WHICH was picked to finish fourth in a pre-season poll, won the event with 958 total for 54 wins. NEBRASKA total tied two shots back in second place.
Royals fall to Yankees
Janie Burba of Oklahoma State won medalist honors with a 233 total. Other Jayhawk scores were Bev Boozer, 25; Maureen Kelly, 25; Lee Ann Loeffelhoehl, 261; and Steve Thorsteindotter, 276.
JTAHWAK NOTES: Merilee Scheid, a member of the Lawrence High School state champion team, signed a national letter of intent earlier this week to play at KU. He also played in 6A state championships, and was medalist in 10 high school tournaments and 12 junior events in 1982.
The dayhawks, who were picked by coaches to finish sixth in the tournament, were paced by senior Patty Coe, who finished eighth individually with a three-round total of 241 strokes.
NEW YORK — Bob Shirlery scattered eight hits on the way to his second career shutout and Steve Kemp singled in two runs in the third inning last night to give the New York Yankees a 6-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Shirley allowed two hits in each of the first two innings and then held Kansas from three outfield hits.
By United Press International
Softball team seeks Big 8 title
By COLLIN HEMRECK Sports Writer
The Kansas softball team will have a chance to wrap up an automatic bid for the national playoffs this weekend when the Big Eight tournament begins in Norman, Okla., today.
KU, ranked 10th nationally, will have to win the seven-team round-robin tournament for that automatic bid. However, at 29, J-5ayhaws stand a good chance of nabbing an at-large bid with win advantages over Iowa and the northwest Missouri State, Wichita State, St. Louis, Kansas State and Missouri.
"RIGHT NOW THEY look good so long as we can continue to play well and don't fall on our face," Bob Stancilft, KU head football coach, said. "We have an advantage over every other team in our region."
The Jayhawks will begin play today at 1 p.m. against Nebraska and at 5 p.m. against Oklahoma. KU will take
on K-State and fifth-ranked Oklahoma State tomorrow and Iowa State and Missouri on Saturday.
Stanclift said the team would rely heavily on the pitching arm of freshman Tracy Bunge, 20-4, who boasts a 0.43 earned run average with 158 strikeouts and only 11 earned runs given up in 178.6 innings pitched. She is also third in team batting with a .273 average.
THIRD BASEMAN Becky Ascencio leads the team with a .362 average, followed by outfielder Pam Cox at. 274.
The conference winner will be the team with the best record after playing all the other Big Eight teams in the tournament.
The Big Eight coaches poll, released last week, picked the Cowboys to win the tournament, followed by Missouri in the point separating each team in the poll.
However, Stancliff expects competition from more than just those
"I honestly feel that there are five
teams." Stanclift said. "There's not any team I feel that I can set back, take a deep breath and relax with.
"I could forsee a lot of close games, and I don't forsee anyone going through undefeated."
THE ROUND-ROBIN format will be used for the first time in the conference tournament, replacing the double-elimination system of past years.
With the Jayhawks off to their best record under Stancliff, KU will try to make it to the playoffs for the first time in four years. In 1979 KU won the conference tournament and tied for ninth place at the AIAW College World Series.
With several of the Jayhawks' games being called off this year because of bad weather, Stanciff said he's baping himself. The team won't come back to haunt his team.
"I sure would have liked to play some of those games," Stanciff said. "We lost out on seeing some good, tough pitching."
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