Former Collegiate star Wilson continues to lead double-life

The Gastonia Grizzlies' home opener in late May included a twist.

Instead of customary pregame introductions -- players jogging from the dugout to the baseline and tipping caps in response to applause -- Grizzlies were positioned around the top of the grandstand. When announced, each walked through the crowd of 3,400 to the field.

"Fans, welcome from N.C. State, the leadoff hitter, No.1, Russell Wilson!"

Said Gastonia General Manager Jesse Cole: "The place erupted."

Ten youth-league teams in attendance at the Coastal Plain League game outside Charlotte joyfully experienced a delay of the first pitch.

"Russell made sure he high-fived every single kid. I didn't even know it was possible to high-five every one of those kids," Cole said. "But he did."

Wilson, 20 and from Collegiate School, clearly is not your typical Grizzly in the CPL, a 14-franchise, wood-bat league launched in 1997 for college players with eligibility remaining. Gastonia's second baseman is the N.C. State quarterback who last year became the only freshman at that position in league history to be named first-team all-ACC.

Wilson twice came back from injuries to drive the Wolfpack, which started 2-6, to four wins that closed its regular season.

"The way he played in November was pretty spectacular," said N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien.

Folks in the Gastonia area evidently noticed.

"I've never seen so many N.C. State shirts in my life as I've seen at the ballpark this year," Cole said. "You bring in one of the top college baseball players in the country, you may get a little buzz. But college football is so much bigger than college baseball.

"I think Russell is definitely one of the marquee guys in the history of this league, and I couldn't ask for a better person to be promoting our team and our league."

Life is good for Wilson because it remains a double life. He wakes at the home of his host family in Gastonia and works out for football four times a week. He throws some to polish his form, but not enough to develop a tired arm.

"I've got to be smart about that," said Wilson, a 5-11 200-pounder.

He lifts weights and does agility drills. Then it's time to report to his night job, as a Grizzlies infielder in a league that includes teams from Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

"I love football. I love baseball. I love competing in both," Wilson said.

He loves them too much to have done what almost every other athlete with college-level ability in two sports does: pick one.

Wilson attends N.C. State on a football scholarship but accepted it when offered by former Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato in July of 2006 with the understanding that baseball participation was an approved offseason activity. The Baltimore Orioles chose Wilson in the 41st round after his final year at Collegiate. He would have been selected much earlier had he not been a high-profile football recruit who gave baseball scouts every indication he was headed to college.

The past two springs, Wilson split time between spring football and Wolfpack baseball (batted .296 in 2008, .236 this year while recuperating from an injured knee). O'Brien, who became N.C. State's football coach in December of 2006, and Wilson agreed that Wilson would play for Gastonia from the start of the CPL season through the end of this month, about 30 games. Then Wilson will return to Raleigh, N.C., and focus on preparation for his redshirt sophomore football season. The Grizzlies' regular season ends in early August.

"Certainly, we sat down and talked about how we're going to manage this two-sport thing and what's best for him and what's best for the football team," O'Brien said.

Before Wilson arrived at N.C. State, O'Brien said, "We talked about what my philosophy was and how we would handle the baseball situation while also being a football scholarship player. We've kind of followed the script we set out."

CPL coaches and general managers acquire players for their teams. Cole, Gastonia's GM, was alerted by an N.C. State baseball assistant that Wilson sought a place to play through June. About all Cole knew about Wilson was that he could throw well on the run in football gear.

"I asked a friend who is a scout, and he said 'It's a no-brainer. Take him immediately,'" Cole recalled. "I said, 'But we're only going to have him for a month or so.' He goes, 'If you can have him for one day, take him.'"

Through 15 CPL games, Wilson was batting .192, which doesn't deter scouts from tracking him. N.C. State's baseball coach, Elliott Avent, has said he believes Wilson will play in the big leagues. He is draft-eligible again next June.

"That's a we'll-see situation," Wilson said. "I definitely want to pursue it, but at the same time, I also want to pursue football. It's not just one or the other.

"I'm not really worried about that now. I'll figure it all out when it comes time to make a choice."

Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233

Wilson's way