Millville CF Wayne Hill Gets the Coveted No. 1 Jersey of Mike Trout
Millville senior centerfielder Wayne Hill got one of the best honors a South Jersey baseball player could receive before the first pitch was thrown in preseason practice. During the winter, Hill was chosen by Millville to wear Mike Trout’s No. 1 jersey for this season.
Before he left for spring training, Trout, a 2009 Millville graduate before becoming a three-time MVP and 10-time All-Star with the Los Angeles Angels, came and talked to the Millville team and presented Hill with the No. 1 jersey.
There are a lot of criteria used to choose the player to wear the No. 1 jersey.
“Not all of them are baseball related,” said Millville coach Dan Fimiani. “We want somebody representing the uniform, who has been through a couple of varsity seasons and understands the expectations of the program, carries himself the right way in school, does the right things and somebody who shows leadership qualities.” Fimiani says it has been a pleasure to coach Hill.
“He exemplifies the way you want kids to play,” he said. “The work is there and the effort is never questioned.”
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Another part of earning the No. 1 jersey is production and Hill had plenty during a stellar junior season.
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Another part of earning the No. 1 jersey is production and Hill had plenty during a stellar junior season.
Last year Hill batted .518 (44-for-85). He had 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 30 RBI, 31 runs, a .566 on-base percentage, 800 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.345.
He also contributed four outfield assists. Hill will continue his education and baseball career at Delaware State.
Fimiani explained that Trout didn’t want his No. jersey retired at Millville.
“Mike is not a big ‘look at me’ guy and just wants to play and took that approach to any recognition,” said Fimiani, explaining why Trout’s number isn’t retired at Millville. “He felt retiring his number didn’t speak to his legacy and he wanted to carry it on so this is how we recognize his career.”
“Mike is not a big ‘look at me’ guy and just wants to play and took that approach to any recognition,” said Fimiani, explaining why Trout’s number isn’t retired at Millville. “He felt retiring his number didn’t speak to his legacy and he wanted to carry it on so this is how we recognize his career.”
And Trout not only visited with the team in the off-season but always keeps up with how the Thunderbolts are doing in baseball and other sports.
“Last year when the baseball team made a run he sent them a good luck video,” Fimiani said about last year’s team which advanced to the SJ Group 4 quarterfinals before falling, 5-3 at Cherokee. “When the football team was in the state final (in December) he was there at Rutgers. He has a very tight-knit group of friends from high school and they are all great supporters of the program.”
There is no doubt that Hill will enter the season as one of the top players in South Jersey. Millville should also field a strong team, but the Thunderbolts compete in one of the most competitive divisions in South Jersey, the Cape American which includes expected top teams such as St. Augustine and Egg Harbor Township.
Millville may not be the division favorite, but the Thunderbolts should be competitive with anybody on the schedule, especially with their new No. 1 patrolling center field.
Photo courtesy: Millville Twitter
Author: Marc Narducci
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