Austin Peay is one of those colleges that I only know about thanks to the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I never knew where it was located. That is, until today!
A.J. Ellis, showing off his amazing break dancing skills, via daylife.com
Catcher A.J. Ellis, on the Dodgers' 40-man roster but stuck behind Russell Martin, Brad Ausmus, and perhaps Danny Ardoin on the depth chart, hails from Austin Peay. From the Leaf Chronicle, the local paper of Clarksville, TN:
Ellis is one of five players in Ohio Valley Conference history to receive first-team all-conference honors each of his four seasons and is the only player to receive such recognition at three different positions (utility, first base and catcher). He still holds the Austin Peay record for most career hits (263) and is second in five other categories, including walks (112).
Making all-conference as "utility?" Should we have added another spot for our All-Time LA Dodger lineup? Still, garnering all-conference honors all four years in school is an impressive feat. So impressive, in fact, that Ellis will be inducted next weekend into the Austin Peay Athletics Hall of Fame.
If you are a Dodger fan in or near Clarksville, Tennessee and have $10 dollars burning a hole in your pocket, you can hear Ellis speak next Friday at something called the Austin Peay Baseball/Walmart First Pitch banquet. I fully expect this to be the last news item involving A.J. Ellis in 2009.