Wednesday, April 3, 1996
By Yoni Tamler
Daily Bruin Staff
Jeff Blank’s sanctum is a perch high above home plate, where his
vigilant mind frantically absorbs all the events imaginable on a
baseball diamond. Here in the press box, his feet tucked awkwardly
in a chair or shuffling nervously in his oversized tennis shoes,
Blank passionately records every pitch, every hit and probably
every oral trajectory of tobacco juice affiliated with the UCLA
baseball team.
If you’ve ever attended a game at Jackie Robinson Stadium over
the past two seasons you are  at least  intimately
acquainted with Blank’s voice, an unmistakable Valley twang
well-rehearsed in home-team emphasis.
"Now the starting lineup for your UCLA Bruins!"
Barely an inch away from the public address microphone, his
quivering gums intone all the practiced inflections of a Harry
Caray protege.
"Now batting, center fielder, Eric Valent!"
But Blank takes his job very seriously, which may explain why
you may have spotted him bedecked from head to toe in UCLA baseball
apparel, as if he were the team poster-child. It’s almost shocking
to learn that Blank gets paid for his work, which he fanatically
performs as a labor of love.
"Yeah, I would probably do it for free," said Blank, a sophomore
communication studies student. "It’s exciting to be with the guys
and follow the team through each game of the season, watching the
team grow, watching the players mature. After the game I talk to
all the different players and coaches and I’m able to fill in all
the missing pieces of the puzzle, what’s going on between the
lines. As a fan watching at home you see one thing, but talking
with the players you find out why those things transpire, and
that’s why I love it."
Blank, who has made a name for himself in more ways than one (he
included a self-written bio in the 1996 UCLA baseball media guide),
also assumes the duties of team statistician and, occasionally,
commentator on local station KIEV.
As the sports information director for the baseball team, Blank
accompanies the club on all of its road trips, and composes all
team-related literature including press releases and game
programs.
Members of the team recognize Blank’s valuable contribution so
much so that he is known to players as "Sid" (sports info
director), a term of sincere endearment for their unofficial team
mascot.
"Sid’s the best," right fielder Eric Byrnes said of Blank. "I’ve
never seen anyone work harder in what they do. He works as hard as
any player on the team, and seeing that dedication gives you the
utmost respect for him."
* * *
As strange as it seems, UCLA (19-11 overall, 10-5 Six-Pac) is
already midway through its extraordinary regular season of 1996.
One can trace the seemingly swift passage of UCLA’s first 30 games
to the team’s success, as it is eight games over .500 and four
games ahead of third place in league, trailing first-place USC by
only a game.
Compare that to midpoint of 1995, when the Bruins owned a 17-15
record and were headed toward a fifth-place finish in the Six-Pac.
One glaring difference between the two seasons is sacrifice
hitting. At this time last year the Bruins had just five sacrifice
hits; this year they already have 29.
Shortstop Jack Santora leads the club with nine sacrifice hits
and is two short of the school record in that category. With a hot
bat in the past two series, Byrnes is second on the team with
seven.
"I made a few minor adjustments, but everyone has their ups and
downs," said Byrnes about his recent hitting streak, which included
five RBIs in one game against Arizona State last weekend and the
current club lead for doubles (11). "This year has been cool
because we have so many good players and so no one guy has to carry
the team on his own. Everyone struggles at some point, but we all
get it together to win games."
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Besides being an avid supporter of SID Jeff Blank, Eric Byrnes
leads UCLA baseball with 11 doubles.