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Winning the baseball programs first-ever World Series title, the 1997 Cowley College baseball team will be inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 7.

Twenty years since that team experienced greatness, the players will return to campus to have their accomplishments celebrated.

The 1997 team was made up of 15 sophomores and 16 freshmen. The returning players from the 1996 team had experienced Cowley winning a conference and region title before losing in the district championship in heartbreaking fashion.

“A large portion of the 1997 team was already assembled,” Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said. “It was a special group. Those sophomores won 100 plus games. They were driven by getting beat out by Meramec College in the 1996 district tournament.”

After going 51-13 during the 1996 season, the returning players would use the previous season as motivation to go 33-3 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division during the 1997 season.

Cowley entered the 1997 JUCO World Series with a record of 48-10.

Along the journey to a World Series title a pheasant came into play. On the way to the ball park for the Tigers’ opening game of the JUCO World Series, one of the players shouted out for his teammates to look out the window at a pheasant perched in the field. Another teammate yelled out to focus on the game and not a stupid pheasant.

Later that day the Tigers won to continue its journey towards a World Series title. The next day the players did not see the pheasant and the Tigers lost.

Heading to the park on day three the players spotted the pheasant and once again were victorious. From that point on the players made sure to look for the pheasant on the way to the ball park.

Heading to the park to play for the school’s first-ever world series title, the bus driver, Blaire Denney, asked Dave what if we don’t see the pheasant on the way to the park to which Burroughs replied then circle around until we do.

“Every player had their nose against the window looking for that pheasant. Once they saw it they were relaxed and we knew we were going to win,” Dave said.

In the title game, Travis Hafner, who went on to a stellar 12-year Major League career where he hit 213 career home runs, hit a three-run home run in the 4-2 win over Seminole State College and was named the JUCO World Series Most Valuable Player.

The team returned to Arkansas City to a hero’s welcome as the community gathered outside W.S. Scott Auditorium to celebrate the team’s World Series title.

“It was cool to share it with the community, (former president) Dr. Pat McAtee and (former athletic director) Tom Saia,” Darren said. “It made it even more special.”

Sophomore Dale Pearson, who tossed a school-record three no-hitters in a four-start span during the regular season, recorded two wins and a save at the JUCO World Series. While, sophomore Brian Manwell was clutch in big games for the Tigers, earning wins in the final game of the sub-regional, regional, and JUCO World Series.

The anchor of the pitching staff was All-American Aaron Akin, who transferred to Cowley after spending his freshman year at the University of Missouri. Akin went 13-0 with a 1.21 earned run average during the 1997 season. Akin still holds the school record for wins in a season and earned run average in a career.

“Akin had a blue collar mentality and was the final piece for us,” Dave said.

Josh McMillen, who was inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009, was another big piece of the puzzle. McMillen transferred to Cowley after red-shirting his freshman year at Kansas State University.

Several players from the 1997 team went on to continue their careers playing baseball at NCAA Division I schools, while Hafner and Tiger teammate Travis Hughes each went on to play in the major leagues.

“The guys on the 1997 team fed off each other,” Cowley assistant coach Darren Burroughs said. “They were tough and resilient and refused to lose.”

Other school records set by players on the 1997 team were Hafner’s 36 career doubles and 161 career RBIs, most triples in a season (Josh Taylor 7), Most Sacrifice Hits in a Season (Justin Helterbrand 11), and Most Sacrifice Hits in a Career (Casey Eckstein 20).

“It does not seem like it has been 20 years,” Dave said. “They helped establish our program and bought into the dream.”

Sadly, two players from the 1997 title team will not be at the induction ceremony as Brandon Robertson and Cory Simpson have each passed away.

The Burroughs’ brothers are looking forward to celebrate the accomplishments of the 1997 team.

“Like Dr. Pat said that 1997 team helped put the school on the national map,” Dave said. “I am happy they are being recognized because they really deserve it. It will be special to see those guys come back to campus.”