Dexter man honored in his college's baseball Hall of Fame

A Dexter man was recently honored for his role on his college baseball team.

Randy Potts, who now works at WW Wood Products in Dudley, was once an up and coming college baseball talent.

Potts attended high school in Carlisle, Ill. where in his senior year the baseball team took the state championship.

Nearly every student on that team went on to play college baseball--Potts included.

He went on to attend Kaskaskia College where the 1981-82 team was the last team to claim the Southern Illinois Conference title. The team won with a 12-4 record.

Potts, who finished his college career at Southeast Missouri State University, received a letter in October that his team was being inducted into the Kaskaskia College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Potts is modest about the experience, but was grateful for the opportunity to see some of his past teammates.

"Most everyone was there," Potts said. "I was sad to hear that a couple have died, but at the same time it was great to visit with friends I haven't seen in 32 years."

Sadly, most of his family wasn't able to join him for the trip because of their own sports and engagements.

"I did take my mom along," he said. "She was excited to see some of the guys, too."

The year for which the team was honored, Potts served as a lead-off hitter. A capable base stealer, he also hit .368 on the season.

Each member of the team was given a plaque and the team was permanently enshrined as a part of the college's history.

As a college senior, Potts came close to finding himself as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

"A scout who had come to watch another player invited three of us to open tryouts at Busch Stadium," Potts said.

A total of 300 athletes from across the country were in attendance for the multiple day event. Each day, many were sent home.

Potts and his teammates each made it to the finals, but that was where the journey ended.

"Only one player was picked up out of everyone that tried out," he said.

With that period in life long since past, he now spends his evenings working to foster that same love for the game of baseball in his own children.

"I started at four years old and so did they," he said.

The father of two sons and a daughter, Potts has enjoyed the opportunity to be involved in the sporting lives of his children.

"I coached both of the boys and they've played all over the Midwest," he said. "Both sons have had the chance to win state championships and that's something that will always make them proud."

Potts' college team was officially inducted on Feb. 8 at Kaskaskia College in Illinois.