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Fast-forward to 2004, when Wilson learned that his counseling certification had lapsed. He enrolled at Penn State-Altoona and sought out Joe Piotti, an acquaintance from playing in a summer league.
Piotti coached the school’s baseball team. Could Wilson try out for the squad?
He earned a spot on the team that season, though he tried at first to keep a low profile, and “spoke when spoken to.”
Boy, has that changed.
“He’s always talking good things about everyone,” says 20-year-old junior pitcher Paul Keith. “He’s never down, always trying to pick the team up.”
Keith says he was initially hesitant about having Wilson as a teammate.
“But what surprised me when I showed up to tryouts, I saw how much energy he still has for being his age, and the level of play he’s at. How he can hit, run and throw,” Keith says. “It really surprised me, and I give all the respect you can possibly give a guy for doing what he does.”
When Wilson plays, he plays right field. He’s appeared in only 11 games, going 2-for-5 with three runs scored and a run batted in during his career.
His real value comes off the field, Piotti says. Wilson coaches first base, throws batting practice and is an unofficial mentor in the clubhouse.
“I get him in when I can, and he appreciates that,” Piotti says. “He just shows up every day and has some input with the team, which I hope he does.”
Any generational differences with his teammates have been whittled away. He has a Facebook page and an iPod — just like most of the other guys on the team.
Wilson and Petulla talk music when Petulla gives his teammate a lift to practice.
“It was like having a 22-year-old right beside me. He listens to rap, hip-hop, R&B,” Petulla says. “He’s always like, 'I need to get that on my iPod, get some of this stuff on it.' So it’s kind of funny.”
Wilson has friends closer to his age, too, including Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker. They met during one of those many instances over the years when Wilson hung around the ballpark. They have stayed in touch and now talk every couple of months.
Baker knows Wilson by the nickname, “Buck.” Wilson says Baker helped him pay the tuition bill his freshman year.
“I told him if he was going to do it, I’d help him,” Baker says at Reds spring-training camp in Sarasota, Fla. “My mom went back to school at 40. I told him if my mom could go back to school at 40 with five kids he could.”
“I’ve heard the kids love him,” Baker says. “I’m proud of him.”
Though Wilson is in his last year of eligibility, he’s scheduled to complete his degree in human development and family studies in 2009. From there, he doesn’t know what he’ll do, though he’s thinking about coaching full time or, perhaps, going into sports psychology.
Before that, though, there’s a senior season to complete. The team starts play this weekend in Florida during the school’s spring break. Wilson plans to get away to see Baker at Reds camp during a day off.
“I’m just as happy as a lark, man, because I’m doing what I’m doing,” Wilson says. “Baseball. It’s great.”
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