As the Benedict College Tigers' premier
baseball player in 1970 and 1971, shortstop Eddie Lee Montgomery led
the team in hitting, stolen bases and runs scored. He did not play during
his junior and senior years because the sport was temporarily suspended
due to budget restraints at the school.
In 1970, Montgomery had a .412 batting average and received the Best
Freshman Award and Best Batter Award. As a sophomore, he repeated as
batting champion and received the Golden Glove Award for best fielder.
Eddie performed at shortstop like many major leaguers. Darting left
and right on the diamond, he scooped up hard-hit grounders and made
acrobatic whirls toward the bases as he threw runners out.
Particularly impressive was his demeanor at plate. He waited patiently
for pitches he liked, then with powerful swings of the bat he often
sent baseballs soaring beyond the reach of infielders and outfielders.
Eddie Dean Montgomery also put up some impressive stats in the classroom,
graduating in the upper ranks of the Benedict College Class of 1974.
His many accomplishments since then include distinguished service at
two historically Black institutions of higher learning - as Vice President
for Business Affairs at Voorhees College for 14 years, and now as Vice
President of Fiscal Affairs at Bethune-Cookman College. |
