Benchwarmer Makes His Mark

Mike Pesavento a left-hander, who pitched for NC State in the early 80’s, came from the same area, Joliet, Illinois, as Terry Gannon, one of the stars of NC State’s National Championship basketball team.

Pesavento was drafted in the 6th round by the Los Angles Dodgers and ended up playing A ball for the Vero Beach Dodgers for the ’84 and ’85 seasons.

During that time his old NC State teammate Tracy Woodson was with the Vero Beach Dodgers.

After a round of golf when their basketball and baseball playing days were over, Pesavento joined Terry Gannon and me for dinner in Raleigh. I mentioned that I had followed Woodson for a week in spring training the year he made the Dodgers for a cover story for NC State’s Alumni Magazine and how much fun he was.

Pesavento: Here’s a classic Woodson story. This was when we were both playing for the Vero Beach Dodgers A Ball, and we’re in the dugout during a game, and I notice that the guy sitting next to me on the bench has a pencil and his making marks on a scorecard. He was just drawing those little hash lines, like one, two, three, four and then crossing them with number five.  So, I think he’s got to be timing the pitcher or something, but I make up my mind that maybe he’s just screwing with me so I’m not going to ask him what the hell he’s doing, not going to give him the satisfaction.

Finally, in about the seventh inning I cave and say, “Okay, what are the marks for? What the hell are you recording.”  And he says, “‘Oh, Woodson!”

“Woodson?  What the hell are you recording him for? He’s not even playing, just sitting here on the bench with us.”

And the guy, I think it was this lefthander named Barry Wholer, says, “Watch him. He’s checking for chicks. Every time he gets up and peaks up into the crowd behind the dugout, I make a mark. He’s up to forty seven now, and it’s only the seventh inning!”