Roberto Vaz missed the College World Series with an injury but now is watching his son play for Vanderbilt – Tuscaloosa Magazine

Cecil Hurt| The Tuscaloosa News

The sun was bright, the way itshinesin Tuscaloosa as summer approaches. In that light, a pristine white baseball lay on an unsullied chalk baseline.

Alabama baseball star Roberto Vaz never saw it.

We were playing Southern Cal in the regional finals, Vaz recalled. The NCAA didnt have super regionals then so it was for a trip to Omaha. I was hitting second in the lineup, with (David) Tidwell hitting first, taking seven swings and then two bunts.

"We were hitting pearls (brand-new baseballs) and Tidwells second bunt rolled about 30 feet and stopped right on the baseline. I never saw it. I finished my swings and am headed down to first base and USC was coming into the stadium at the same time so I am kind of watching them and I step on the ball.

I knew right away I had broken my foot.

Vaz had a Jones fracture of a metatarsal.He was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center, a short drive from Alabamas stadium. There was some cursory talk of a brace or a special baseball spike, but the doctors werent optimistic.

It was discussed, but coach (Jim) Wells overruled all that talk, Vaz said. "He said, Youve had a great year, youre about to be drafted (by Major League Baseball) and we arent going to take the risk.

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Alabama went on to defeat Southern Cal, 9-8, in one of the classic games ever at Sewell-Thomas Field, but the price was steep. Vazwas a Golden Spikes finalistwho hit .400 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs. He was also the Crimson Tides ace left-handed pitcher, going 4-1 with a team-best 3.40 earned run average. As a closer over the first half of the season, he had eight savesand opponents batted just .198 against him.

He watched his team in theCollege World Series with a cast on his right foot,

They did surgery before we left Tuscaloosa, Vaz said. I think they were afraid that when we got to Omaha, Id grab a bat and try to hit. We reached the finals. We lost twice, to Miami in the second game and then to LSU in the championship. I probably would have been the starting pitcher in both of those games. So it was frustrating.

It was also Vazs last trip to the College World Series for 24 years. He played a few games against the Omaha Royals in Triple-A but never came back for the CWS, even as a college assistant coach. (He is currently an assistant at NJCAA national champion LSU-Eunice.)

That was 1997. Now, Vazis back in Omahawatching his son, Javier, who is preparing to play for a national championship as a Vanderbilt Commodore.

Whatever emotions I might have had, whatever frustration, it doesnt compare, Vaz said. I cant even explain the joy of watching our child out there.

Vaz hasnt been to the old Rosenblatt Stadium site and says he is "the typical supportive dad in his first trip to TD Ameritrade Park.

I cheer for every kid, Vaz said. I do see the game differently as a former player and a coach, so I move around my seats a lot on defense and stand on the concourse when we are hitting. I dont want to get in conversations about what we should or should not have done in a situation. I cheer for every kid equally. I think his mom is a bit more emotional."

Im hoarse, Roberto's wife, Stephanie, said. Ive had to pinch myself. You think of the days when you took (Javier) to practice, when he changed high schools after the eighth grade, when he was playing in junior college on those long trips and I see the utopia hes in now, Ive had to pinch myself.

We were waiting when the team bus came the other day and I was cheering so much. Roberto was like, What are you doing? Youre his mother, youcan see him whenever you want. And I told him I am here to see my team and my favorite player.I was a total fan, like an out-of-body experience.

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Vanderbilt will begin championship series play Monday after an NCAA decision cancelled a potential elimination game against North Carolina State due to COVID-19 protocols.

Anyone who knows Vanderbilt knows we wanted to play, the coaches wanted to play, the players wanted to play, Roberto Vaz said. You want to compete.

Perhaps no one knows that feeling better than Vaz, who reached an NCAA championship game as a player and had to watch from the dugout, a hundred feet or so away from the batters box where he will now watch his son perform.

Am I still frustrated about 1997? he said. Not now. Im a supportive dad. Theres no feeling like it, none that Ive experienced.

Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil@tidesports.com or via Twitter @cecilhurt

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Roberto Vaz missed the College World Series with an injury but now is watching his son play for Vanderbilt - Tuscaloosa Magazine