For Duke alumnus Bob Rankin, playing in the 1961 College World Series was a highlight of his college career.
“That was just wonderful going to the College World Series, I’ll tell you that. That was 55 years ago? It wasn’t that long ago, was it?”
This week, Duke’s 2016 baseball team will be the first Blue Devil squad to head to the NCAA tournament since that 1961 season. Rankin talked this week with his former teammate Pete Moller about what the current Duke squad needs to do to be successful on the ball field.
“Just have fun out there and just hit the ball and hit the ball. Every chance you get to hit the ball, you got to do that,” said Rankin.
That special ’61 season is one their favorite topics when Moller visits Rankin, who has since lost some of his physical abilities but remains strong in mind and spirit. It’s hard for both men to believe it’s taken more than five decades for Duke to return to the College World Series.
“Now we’ve got the team in the NCAA Tournament. So we’ve got that ‘61 monkey, which was a great monkey to have because we were very successful, but now it’s off our back,” Moller said.
Unfortunately for Moller, he did not get to travel to the World Series with the rest of the ’61 baseball team because he was in a hip-to-toe cast that season after a soccer injury.
“That was a little bit of a frustration. They had a lot of success without me so I guess that was a great thing,” joked Moller, who now works at Duke’s Basketball Museum and Sports Hall of Fame.
Pete Moller shows the signed 1961 baseball bat to the 2016 Duke team.
Duke won one game and lost two in the tournament. Still, Rankin is proud they made it to Omaha.
“We had to go through a couple tournaments to even get there. When we won the second tournament that got us there, it made me so happy I didn’t even know what to do. I was just ready to jump up and down. Just as happy as I can be. We were going to Omaha now!” Rankin recalled.
Before this year’s squad left Durham for the regionals in Columbia, S.C., Moller brought the baseball team a 1961 bat signed by the members of that team.
“I just want them to rub it for good luck,” Moller said.
Both Rankin and Moller plan to watch Duke play in the NCAA baseball tournament and see if the special bat helps them reach the final eight teams in the College World Series in Omaha.
“You’ve got to concentrate certainly, but enjoy the moment. You’ve earned it, enjoy it,” said Moller.
Below: The 1961 Duke baseball team. Rankin is second from right in the top row.
