Next up for Missouri was little Rollins College . . .

. . . out of Florida, which had a student population of 300, the smallest school ever to reach the finals.

Rollins had an added ace in the hole, or on the hill. Pitcher Art Brophy had yet to lose in his college career. True to form he won again, defeating the Tigers 4-1 with a five-hitter while striking out 12.

Taking it on the chin for the Tigers was Bert Beckman, who had gone 4-1 with a 2.18 ERA during the regular season. He still looks back and thinks about the key moment of that game.

``We were tied 1-1 and they had a guy on base. I called (Dick) Dickinson in and told him, I'm going to pitch this guy tight so he'll bunt. But I pitched him too tight and I walked him, and the next guy hit a fly ball off the wall. Before it was all over, he rounded the bases for an inside the park home run.''

That made the score 4-1, which is how it ended. Now the Tigers stood at one victory and one loss in the World Series. The pressure was on the young team. One more loss and they would be done. Would they go home short of their goal once again?
(Columbia Missourian, March 14, 1994)

"We were beaten during our second game in the tournament. I pitched relief in that game, and I was so excited I couldn’t even see. I just threw hard as I could, striking out four guys in two innings."
(Norm Stewart in Stormin’ Back, p. 39)

Rollins College
Winter Park, FL
25-8
Coach: Joe Justice
1947-1971
(482-287-13 .627)

Rollins is the smallest school in college baseball history to play in the College World Series in Omaha. With only 700 students on the campus in 1954, the Tars posted a 25-8 overall record and finished second in the championships. They lost the championship game 4-1 to the University of Missouri.
(Rollins College Website)

2004 Rollins Tars reach Final Four of D-II College World Series
50 years after fnishing as the runner-up to the Missouri Tigers in the 1954 College World Series, Rollins College very nearly equalled that performance, reaching the final four of the NCAA Division II World Series, finally losing to Grand Valley State, 11-4. The loss ended the Tars' most successful season ever with a record of 48-12