The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1059287
"I was playing in a golf outing and ran into [Marquette star] Bo Ellis this summer," Stoddard said. "There are little things like that all the time that bring up really nice memories. "We also went to the [baseball] regionals for three years. You had to win the conference tournament back then. I remember beating Clemson on a Sunday doubleheader." Having the late Sam Esposito as his baseball coach and assistant basketball coach at NC State made the transition pretty smooth between the sports. NC State is also known for having multi-sport standouts such as Stoddard, Terry Harvey, Russell Wilson and An- drew Brackman, who all played baseball for the Wolfpack. "The transition was a little bit easier," Stoddard said. "[Fellow pitcher] Mike Dempsey also played basketball. [Basketball star] Monte [Towe] even played a little bit [of baseball] early in his school time." Basketball was Stoddard's primary sport and he never missed the game, but his favorite sport truly depended on what season it was. Playing basketball did keep him in great shape going into baseball season. "I missed a lot of the baseball season most of the time," Stoddard said. "That was kind of the understanding and Sam knew it. It's harder to do now than it probably was back then. "I loved playing both. Whatever sport I was playing at the time was the one I loved the most." The state of Indiana and NC State have long been intertwined starting with legendary men's basketball coach Everett Case from Anderson, Ind. Stoddard is part of that legacy, coming down from East Chicago, Ind. "I was pretty lucky when I ended up choosing North Carolina State," Stoddard said. "All of a sudden you show up and there is one of the greatest players in the history of the game in David Thomp- son in the same class. You got Tom Burleson, who could hold his own with anybody in the game for a big man at the time. "You feel privileged to be on a team and play with them." When NC State football played at Notre Dame two years ago, Stoddard made the trip to watch the Wolfpack. He still makes his way down to Raleigh when he can and stays in touch with his for- mer teammates. "It's a lot of fun and amazing how the stories just start flying right away like it was yesterday," Stoddard said. "A lot of guys live in the [Raleigh] area. It is very nice to get back there when I do get the opportunity. "The conversations, stories or B.S., it just starts flying." Stoddard will sometimes talk with NCSU baseball coach Elliott Avent and keeps track of Wolfpack athletics either online or when he can watch a game on television. Avent remembers a story when he was coaching at New Mexico State and Stoddard was the pitch- ing coach at Northwestern. He called Esposito and asked if there was a way to get inside Stoddard's mind. "I called Coach Esposito and said, 'Coach can you give me something on Tim Stoddard to kid him today, we're playing North- western. You got to give me something,'" Avent remembered. "Es- posito said, 'Elliott, the only thing I can tell you about Tim Stod- dard is he's one of the toughest SOBs I ever coached and every time One Of A Kind Tim Stoddard Was A Standout In Baseball And Basketball At NC State WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Tim Stoddard Baseball and Basketball (1972-75) Age: 65 Living: Rolling Meadows, Ill. Occupation: Assistant coach at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. Did You Know? Stoddard and former Arizona basketball player and pro baseball player Kenny Lofton are the only athletes to play in the Final Four and win a Major League Baseball World Series, and both are from East Chicago, Ind. Stoddard is only one to win both. Stoddard averaged 6.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest in 86 games on the hardwood for the Wolfpack. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS JANUARY 2019 ■ 47