By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – An athlete can wait a lifetime to have their jersey raised to the rafters, hung in the clubhouse or enshrined in a hall of fame. The ultimate honor by their former team, representing that no one who wore the jersey before was better.
For former Tennessee Tech baseball star David Hess, that dream of forever being immortalized came to fruition at the current Baltimore Oriole's old stomping grounds Monday evening, a place that helped establish not only the pitcher he would one day become, but also the man.
In the attached gym and recreation center of Cedar Lane Church of Christ in Tullahoma, Tenn., Tullahoma High School made it so no other Wildcat would ever wear the number 12 on the baseball diamond again, retiring the jersey of David Hess following his rookie campaign in Major League Baseball.
And as he has been every step along the way of his baseball career – from Tullahoma to Cookeville, Tenn., as a member of the Golden Eagles, to several stops in minor league baseball as part of the Orioles' organization, to Camden Yards in Baltimore – Hess displayed the modesty and humility that has been a staple of his make-up from day one.
"To be honest, it's really hard to put into words," Hess said about what it felt like to have his number and jersey retired," because with the tradition and the pride that comes with being a Tullahoma Baseball alumni, to have my name up there with the Dewon Brazeltons, the Coach [Jerry] Mathis', the people that are so well known in this area, the Bryan Morris', it's really a humbling thing to me. But it is also a huge honor to know that the impact the community has made on me is an impact I am able to reflect and give back to them as well."
Hess enjoyed an electric career at THS, earning multiple all-district honors and an all-state accolade following his breakout senior campaign. In his final season representing his hometown, Hess finished 8-1 with a 1.91 ERA and 102 strikeouts on the mound and added a .393 batting average, eight home runs and 41 RBI with the bat. He was named District Pitcher of the Year before embarking on his collegiate career, making the trip north to Cookeville.
The future big leaguer needed just three seasons as a Golden Eagle to earn a trip to the professional ranks, but it was a memorable and impactful three years. During his career, Tech set and tied the program record with 40 wins (broken twice since then) and captured the Ohio Valley Conference regular season title in 2013.
He earned Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors as a sophomore reliever, striking out 11 of 14 batters he faced while clinching the league title in the final weekend of the regular season. Hess was named to the OVC All-Freshman team in 2012 and was an All-OVC Second Teamer in 2014.
In three seasons, Hess compiled 19 wins to rank in the top-five all-time in program history (currently sixth) and totaled 232 strikeouts, ranking third all-time at the conclusion of his career (fifth now). He is one of just five Tech pitchers part of the 100-K club for a single season and totaled more punch outs by a three-year pitcher than any other Golden Eagle by the end of his career (he ranks second now). It all culminated in him becoming the highest MLB Draft pick in school history, earning a fifth-round selection by the Orioles in 2014.
Despite the accolades and accomplishments, however, one of the most special parts of his journey in collegiate baseball brought him closer to his roots in Tullahoma, the ability to play with not one, not two, but three of his teammates from THS while a member of the Golden Eagles.
"Anytime you're with a group of people for a long time, there's a good familiarity that comes with it, especially with those guys," Hess expressed of how special his time with his Tullahoma teammates in Cookeville was. "With Jacob Honea, Jordan Parris and Josh Bryant, those were a core group of guys growing up in Tullahoma. We played together, we grew up together and then to be able to go on and play in college together... I just remember the first day we were all together, we just sat there and looked at each other like, 'Can you guys believe this is happening?' Especially with such great guys like that, it made it really easy to be away from home and I was excited to continue to have that time to be teammates with them. That time together is something I think we will all always remember. It was a really fun experience and I'm very grateful we were able to do that."
After his selection by the Orioles, Hess paid his dues in Minor League Baseball, working his way up the ranks from the organization's Short Season A Aberdeen IronBirds team to a brief stop with the Delmarva Shorebirds, the team's Single A squad. In 2015, he labored early in the season with the Advanced A Frederick Keys, but enjoyed such a spectacular turnaround following the All-Star break, he earned a call-up to the Double A Bowie Baysox during their playoff run, helping the team capture their first Eastern League title.
Hess worked through a self-described disappointing 2016 campaign in Bowie, but rebounded once again to show success in the 2017 season with Baysox. He earned a starting gig with the Triple A affiliate Norfolk Tides last season, making nine starts overall. He also earned a call-up to the big league club, making his Major League debut on May 12, 2018 against the Tampa Bay Rays in Camden Yards. He went on to appear in 21 games for the Orioles, making 19 starts along the way and figures to be a part of the rotation again for the young, rebuilding ball club in 2019.
Yet the right-handed hurler never forgets his roots and was speechless when he found out that nearly 450 supporters would attend his special night.
"I think I said it to everyone who RSVP'd, 'Are you guys sure I'm worth coming down here?,'" Hess explained. "The support that showed up, I just think it speaks for itself of how great this town and community are. The opportunity to kind of show the people that helped me get here how much that meant to me, and how much they actually contributed to it, that goes further than anything I could say on the mic or even express into words. I'm just incredibly grateful for the support from the community, the town, family, friends, and coaching staffs."
And Hess makes sure that even when he isn't back home, people know just where he is from and why he is so proud to call Tullahoma home.
"Yeah, they've listened a lot more recently," Hess said when asked if his teammates listen when he talks about home. "When I get to talk to them about being from kind of a small town that nobody really knows about, I take the chance to brag about the tradition here. It kind of starts to catch their attention a little bit when I list the guys that have come through here. It really is a special place and I think I talk about it as much as I can to anybody who is willing to listen. There is a lot of pride coming from Tullahoma and being a part of the community."
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to camp for the Orioles on Feb. 12 in Sarasota, Fla. The team will kick off spring training contests in the Grapefruit League on Saturday, Feb. 23 against the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.
Photos by Thomas Corhern
