10 Years Ago: Gill settles for baseball career
50 Years Ago From the Herald and Democrat in 1970
The Arkansas Association of Insurance Agents adopted a resolution at its annual midyear meeting, commending the Arkansas State Police and its Director, Ralph D. Scott.
The resolution said Scott, by his zeal and generous labors, had rendered distinguished service to the State of Arkansas and our members. The resolution went on to commend the entire State Police Organization for their admirable contribution of progressive and far-reaching traffic safety measures to the insuring public.
25 Years Ago From the Herald-Leader in 1995
Dale Akins said he was somewhat surprised his Siloam Springs Panthers defeated the Rogers Mountaineers, 57-46, in the 40th Annual Neosho Holiday Tournament.
It was a Christmas present three days late for the longtime Siloam Springs coach.
Akins summarized with the comment “holding Rogers to just 46 points is remarkable.”
10 years Ago From the Herald-Leader in 2010
Siloam Springs High
School graduate and native Jacob Gill always wanted to play college football.
Multiple head injuries while playing wide receiver for the Panthers ended that dream. But, fortunately for Gill, it also paved the way for a new one that would change the course of his athletic career and, eventually his life: Baseball.
Gill played second base and center field for the Panthers throughout high school. Although football was his first love, he settled for baseball after several concussions kept him from being cleared to play.
“Settling” garnered him an athletic baseball scholarship in addition to academic scholarships to MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan., where he would meet his future wife, Kala, and come to the realization that playing college baseball was different from the high school sport.
Gill was forced to medical redshirt his first year after sustaining a shoulder injury during his third game at MNU.
But rehabilitating his shoulder and watching instead of playing weren’t the only challenges he would face over his years at MNU.
Gill’s academic scholarship required that he take at least 15 credit hours per semester and keep a 3.0 grade point average.
“It was definitely a challenge as far as time management,” Gill said. While other guys went out to Buffalo Wild Wings and watched a game, Gill stayed home to get his homework done. He said he really had to prioritize his life.
That attitude, however, paid off as Gill graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Physical Education and Sports Management. He graduated with a 3.87.
While Gill excelled in the classroom, he also excelled on the diamond.
He was twice named AllConference in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, once as an infielder and once as an outfielder, set an MNU record for batting average for a freshman during his first full year of play.
Gill finished his career with a batting average of .353, 98 runs scored, 11 home runs, 59 runs batted in, 45 base on balls and a fielding percentage of .952.
“My ultimate goal is to become a coach because my coaches were such a positive influence on my life growing up,” Gill said.