Randy Wilson, a former standout at Mt. Vernon High School and later an educator at the school, was inducted over the weekend into the Anderson University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Submitted photo
Randy Wilson may be best known locally as a long-time coach and Math teacher at Mt. Vernon High School.
Ten years ago, he retired after 31 years in the Mt. Vernon school system, teaching math and coaching baseball and basketball.
Before his time in education, he played college baseball, and played it extremely well.
Wilson was among the inductees this past weekend to the Anderson University Athletics Hall of Fame.
A Fortville resident and 1972 graduate of Mt. Vernon High School, Wilson went on to star for the Ravens baseball program, one of the best nationally for many years at the NAIA level. He was coached by former big leaguer Carl Erskine and legendary college coach Don Brandon, who won over 1,100 ballgames at the school coaching from 1972-2010.
Wilson was one of the legendary players of that time, too, starring as the team’s catcher.
Erskine was the first to give Wilson a chance to play. The Fortville native was a freshman on a team that had seven seniors in the starting lineup.
“He gave me my break. (Anderson) had a returning catcher from New York that had a good season that was just a year ahead of me,” Wilson recalled. “About four or five games into the season coach Erskine decided to move him to centerfield and gave me the opportunity to catch.”
The rest is history.
Wilson was a three-time all-Hoosier-Buckeye Collegiate Conference catcher, earning honors in each of his final three seasons at Anderson. During those seasons, he was also selected All-NAIA District 21.
As a sophomore, Wilson put together a .528 on-base percentage, ranking seventh in Anderson history. He also contributed a .431 batting average, a .625 slugging percentage and 25 RBIs.
Wilson followed up during his junior year by turning in a .527 on-base percentage, ranking eighth in the Anderson record books. He also provided a .400 batting average and a .588 slugging percentage.
As a senior, Wilson notched five home runs, 37 runs and 35 RBIs. He produced a .360 batting average, a .464 on-base percentage and a .551 slugging percentage.
During his career, Wilson hit 10 home runs, drove in 85 runs and scored 67 runs. He provided a .376 batting average, a .488 on-base percentage and a .564 slugging percentage during his career. Wilson’s .488 career on-base percentage ranks sixth in Anderson school history.
Following his time at Anderson, Wilson began coaching at New Palestine High School. He also coached at Lapel and Frankton before heading back to his alma mater, where he spent time as the head baseball coach, as well as an assistant basketball coach to head coach Jimmie Howell. Later he was an assistant coach with the girls basketball program under current coach Julie Shelton. He was the varsity baseball coach from 1985-1995.
As a baseball player at Mt. Vernon, Wilson helped lead the team to a semi-state appearances as a junior and sectional championship as a senior.
He caught the eye of Indiana Central (now University of Indianapolis) before choosing to play at Anderson.
He was inducted in a ceremony prior to Saturday’s Anderson University Homecoming football game. At halftime, he and other new Hall of Famers were announced to the crowd at Macholtz Stadium.
Wilson said he got the call from Anderson Athletics Director Marcie Taylor this summer that he was part of the 2022 class.
“It’s a great thrill and great honor,” Wilson said. “You don’t think of it when you’re playing. Years later, it was something that you’d like to see happen and appreciate it if it does happen.”
Wilson said one of the things he’ll remember most is being able to share his induction with coach Brandon and former teammates, who came in from out of state for the ceremony and homecoming festivities.
“That was the best thing of the weekend,” Wilson said. “I had about 10 of my teammates show up from around the country, from Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma. I hadn’t seen them for several years. To get to see them again was really nice and have my family there was special.”
