Over the next several months, Director of Athletic Communications, Donavon Martin Jr. will sit down and ask the same 12 questions to a different member of the Millsaps College Athletics family. Next up: Head Baseball Jim Page.

1) If you weren't coaching baseball at Millsaps College, what would you be doing? 

A - I'd be coaching baseball (somewhere)....B – I'd be on a beach (DESTIN!)....or C) – I'd be singing in a band (I really think A is where God has called me. He made sure of that by NOT giving me a good voice!!!)

2) What is special about the town or area that you grew up?

Alexandria and Woodbridge, Virginia. Awesome weather – you actually have 4 seasons. 20 minutes from DC (when I was 9 years old, I would walk out of my house, go down the street about 100 yards at night, and could see the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial all lit up. Even at that age I was in awe.) So, 20 minutes from the Nation's Capital, one hour from the mountains, and 3 hours from the beach; really cool.

3) What is the best (or most memorable) moment from your playing days?

Man, just the guys. Grinding and competing together day in, day out. Hard to pick one. I remember certain gems guys pitched, Tim Gill and Dewey Gilbert, unreal defensive plays that I saw David Cooper, Roger Daniel and Nick Anderson make. I Saw Byrd Hillman throw out the first 5 baserunners that got on (Alcorn State – has to be a record). I do remember my last game, my last AB. To all you kids out there, young and old……remember to enjoy every moment and have fun getting after it!!!

4) What is the best (or most memorable) moment from your coaching career?

There have been so many (shows my age), but of course you'd have to rank the 2013 trip to the D3 World Series at the top. I can still vividly see so many plays our guys made; Chenoweth's diving catch against Salisbury, Jared Meyers throwing out a runner at the plate and getting a huge squeeze bunt down, Will Edwards dominating on the mound in game one and the unreal performance of Will Elmore in a must win game against Salisbury (7-0 shutout), to put us in the championship. The outstanding innings our bullpen gave us during the big run, Wes Hammond and Harper Grier.  Keith Shumaker, Kevin Wall, Stephen Gates, Wes Perkins (and others), clutch hits, so many with 2 strikes and 2 outs. And of course, Freshman Isaac Glenn's, 2 on, 2 out, two strike RBI rocket in the left gap, in the bottom of the 9^th (what you dream about as a kid), to win it and send us to Appleton!!!  There are other memories from other years; our first ever Conference Championship in 1990, the first Regional team in '95, the 2004-2007 teams that just went out and dominated every day, the first ever NUMBER 1 NATIONAL RANKING in Millsaps history in 2009 and the list goes on. But what is most special to me is that I have been truly blessed with the most incredible guys and FAMILIES over all these years, and this year's group is no exception!!! And I'll end with this; to have had two of my nephews come play for me at Millsaps, Brandon and Andy – studs!!!, and to have watched my two daughters, Caitlyn and Jamie-Blair, play here, and now have my two sons play for me, Keaton and Case……..well, it's been an amazing ride at an AMAZING place:

MILLSAPS COLLEGE – YOU BELONG HERE!!!!!!!

5) If you could leave for vacation tomorrow...one week, all expenses paid...where are you going?

Destin (Miramar Beach) with my family....enough said.

6) What is the most recent thing you have binge watched? 

I don't get to watch much TV, but before my quiet time each morning, I have been watching Moses and Ten Commandments. And late at night, my wife and I have been watching Family Feud. (I know, there's that age thing again).

7) I came up with these questions one morning while I was drinking my morning coffee, so it has me wondering: What is your relationship with coffee?

Diet Coke has been my Kryptonite!!!! Trying to only do one a day now.

8) What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? 

I was 9 years old and was riding home from a ball game with my Dad and I had just made the last out with bases-loaded, to lose by 1 run. I had tears in my eyes (remember, I was NINE!!!), and my Dad said, "Hey son, do you know what's worse than making the last out with the bases-loaded and down by one?". I responded that there was NOTHING worse than that. He told me that there was, and that it was TO NEVER GET TO BE AT BAT in that situation, bases-loaded, two out, bottom of the ninth. I didn't understand what he meant at that time, but later it changed how I viewed that situation. It then became an OPPORTUNITY. One that I would not only dream of, but would completely enjoy while in that moment. Those moments don't come around that often. When they do, have a blast and enjoy it. And when it's over, WIN OR LOSE, keep looking forward to the next one!!!! 

9) What is your favorite food?

Ok, now we're talking!!!! Pizza (good New York Style, Hello Sal and Mookie's (owned by Millsaps Alum, Jeff Goode) Steak is right up there!!!

10) Tell me your best *baseball related* joke?

"More of a riddle, but here goes:"

A man leaves home, goes down a ways and takes a left, goes down a little further and takes another left, and after traveling even further makes another left and gets back home and when he gets there, there are two masked men waiting on him; Who are they?

11) In your mind, what makes Millsaps College such a special place?

The people, "FAMILY". When I first got here as a Freshman in 1981, I literally thought that it was impossible for people to be so friendly and that over time the REAL would show up. Right at 40 years later I'm still waiting. The Coaches, the Faculty, the Staff….. they are what Millsaps has been and continues to be about. I have just never been able to leave here!!! 

12) Each week, I'll ask a coach to give me a question for the next interview. Last time we talked with Coach Fisher (volleyball), she wanted to know...What is your advice for young ball players in a world where baseball has become a year-round game? 

I don't know the exact percentages now, but I know that there are so many guys in the Big Leagues that played other sports; football, basketball, soccer (Cal Ripken!). Right now, there's a HUGE business out there with all the year-round travel ball (I'm talking young kids, 6-12, and the selling of fear of loss, (or getting behind). You need to play and keep developing, but you shouldn't have to commit to just one sport at an early age. Again, there are so many professionals that had the choice of what they wanted to play in college, and there's no doubt that each sport had benefits that helped them reach their potential in the other. That doesn't mean you HAVE to play something else. But you don't have to make that decision too early.

The next interview will be with Coach Michael Prather (men's basketball). Do you have a question I can ask him? 

Who is the greastest player ever?