By
Maxx Wolfson and Brian Penso
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Osburn is an inspiration to his teammates
The UA baseball team will begin the 2001 season in Hilo, Hawaii on Thursday without one key player, Kelsey Osburn.
Osburn, 20, who played mostly second base for the Wildcats for the past two seasons, died July 17, 2000 after being struck by a baseball during batting practice while playing for the Newark Raptors of the Northeast Collegiate Baseball League.
"The guys are very dedicated in playing the season in his honor," Arizona head coach Jerry Stitt said at the team's annual media day yesterday. "Not a day goes by when the guys don't mention his name."
On January 27, Osburn's number 41 jersey will be retired during a pregame ceremony against Brigham Young University.
His number - which will be stitched into the backs of Arizona players' caps - will become only the fourth to be retired by the UA baseball program since the team's inception in 1885.
The 2001 Wildcat team features 20 players who never played with Osburn, but assistant coach Victor Solis said the impact of the junior will be felt throughout the team.
"One thing about college men is that they are able to hide their emotions real well and they have done a great job in practice," Solis said. "One of the things we expect from them is to play like Kelsey did. He played as hard as anyone in the country."
Osburn, who prepped at Sabino High School, was a two-year backup for the Wildcats and was the pre-season favorite to replace All-American Keoni DeRenne as UA's starting shortstop.
Despite not being an everyday player, the 5-foot-7 Osburn will be remembered for his work ethic and dedication to the team.
"The returning players are the people who know how hard he worked and hustled," junior rightfielder Shelly Duncan said. "A lot of times when we were down or slacking, he would bring us up."
Duncan said he remembers his best friend everyday.
"It is almost like he has not left us," Duncan said. "I still think about him all the time. When I am working alone he is always pushing me. A lot of people think the same way."
Junior lefthanded pitcher Brian Pemble said that the memory of his fallen teammate will be an inspiration throughout the season.
"The season is definitely for Kelsey," Pemble said. "Everyday he would come out and bust his ass. He may have not played every game but he is definitely going to be our inspiration. All of the young guys know what he meant to us and what he meant to the team."
