Trea Turner Becomes State's Sixth World Series Champion
Trea Turner already made NC State history simply by playing in this year’s World Series. In doing so, he joined Mike Caldwell as the only former Wolfpack players to appear in both the College World Series and the actual Fall Classic.
Wednesday, the speedy shortstop joined an even more prestigious club by helping his Washington Nationals to a 6-2 victory in Game 7 against the Houston Astros 6-2. And has he had for his team's other postseason series victories, Turner wore a State football helmet for the champagne splashing locker room celebration.
Turner went 0 for 4 in the decisive game and batted only .161 (5 of 31). But he did win free tacos for fans by getting the first stolen base of the Series and was involved in a controversial Game 6 call in which he was called out at first for baseline interference.
It all added up to Turner has becoming the sixth player who attended State to earn a World Series ring. He’s only the fourth to have actually played for the Wolfpack.
Here are the other State alums who, like Turner, can call themselves World Series champions:
◼ Tracy Woodson: A star third baseman who played for the Wolfpack from 1982-84, was a pinch-hitter and late inning defensive replacement in four games of the 1988 Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their World Series victory against the Oakland Athletics. He didn’t get any hits in four official at bats, but he did drive in a run in his team’s clinching 4-3 Game 5 victory.
◼ Jimmy Brown: Brown played one season for the Wolfpack in 1932, when the school was still known as North Carolina College of Agriculture and Engineering. A switch-hitting infielder, Brown helped the St. Louis Cardinals to a five-game victory against the New York Yankees by leading all hitters on his team with ,300 average (6 of 20) in the Series.
◼ Tim Stoddard: Not only did the 6-foot-7 pitcher help the Wolfpack win three ACC championships on the diamond, he was also a key member of State’s 1974 national championship basketball team under coach Norm Sloan. He was a member of the Baltimore Orioles when they won the 1983 World Series in five games against the Philadelphia Phillies. Although he didn’t pitch in the Fall Classic because of an injury, he became the first player ever to win both a championship ring in both college basketball and Major League Baseball.
◼ Roger Craig: A right-handed pitcher, Craig briefly attended State before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955. As a rookie that season, he earned a win in World Series Game 5, helping the Dodgers to their one and only title before moving to Los Angeles. He also won World Series rings with the Dodgers in 1959 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964. He was also a World Series champion as the pitching coach for the 1984 Detroit Tigers
◼ Kemp Wicker: Like Craig, Wicker attended State but never played for the Wolfpack. A left-handed pitcher, he worked one inning in relief for the New York Yankees in their five-game win against the New York Giants in the 1937 World Series.
