Two outs. Runner on second base. Dartmouth trailing 4-3 in the eighth inning, down to its final at-bat. The Big Green batter steps in for the biggest at-bat of the young season and stares down the opposing pitcher, right? Wrong. The batter steps in unable to shake that smile that is as recognizable as the grin on the Mona Lisa.
Looks can be deceiving. Junior co-Captain Mike Conway '99 turns on the third pitch he sees and grounds it into the hole between the shortstop and the third baseman. Game tied 4-4. The now-familiar Red Rolfe Field chant of "MVP, MVP" showers the field. Couple that key at-bat with a monstrous home-run, two spectacular run-saving defensive plays, and Mike Conway had quite a weekend. Again.
So what comes to mind when you think of a person with such a great smile and such amazing talent?
"When he first came to the team, we all knew someday he was going to be a politician," catcher Eric Anderson '99 said. "He was always shaking our hands and smiling."
Put the two images together, and you might think Conway transferred to Dartmouth two years ago to sit on the bench, flash his smile and talk about taxes. Or maybe Conway came to Dartmouth to put together one of the best careers in Big Green history.
After switching to third base from his native second base upon his arrival to Dartmouth last season, Conway earned a spot in the starting lineup that he won't relinquish until he graduates. Last season, batting in the leadoff spot, Conway gave opposing pitchers nightmares, batting .399 for the season while accumulating 61 hits, eclipsing the previous school record of 55. Not satisfied with breaking one record, Conway scored 43 runs, two more than the former top Big Green mark. All of these statistics led him to be named to the All-Ivy League first team as the only unanimous selection.
Lucky season? Flash in the pan? Forget it. Not with the way Conway approaches baseball. He's special, and his teammates know it. That's why, after receiving honors and praises from coaches around the league, his teammates decided they would bestow an honor of their own upon him, team co-captain for the 1998 season.
"Conway is the type of player we all model ourselves after, both on and off the field," Anderson said. "On the field, he is a great hitter and plays outstanding defense. Off the field, he is a great guy who is focused on his training and his academics. The team looks to him for leadership in all aspects."
On the field, Conway is doing it once again this year. After starting the year back at second base, injuries forced him back to third. The way he flashed his leather protecting the foul line in the home openers, it's hard to imagine him leaving any time soon. It's also hard to imagine him leaving the ranks of All-Ivy as he's up to his old tricks at the plate again as well. Name the category, Conway is among the team leaders. Batting average, runs, hits, steals. But then again, as an economics major, Conway should be comfortable dealing with lofty numbers.
This all came as a change for Conway, who left the warmth of San Diego for Hanover on a whim because he coveted a chance to play and a chance to study.
"I was basically redshirting at San Diego and just wanted to play ball," Conway remembers. "While at home over Thanksgiving freshman year, after talking with my coach I decided to apply to Dartmouth and figured I'd see what happened. I'd never even seen the school or read anything about it."
What happened in just over a year-and-a-half was two 17-game hit streaks, a record setting two-homer game against Brown and an immense popularity among not only teammates but students as well.
"It's been great here, I couldn't ask for anything more,"Conway said. "When I came here I wanted to play and work my way into the system, and next thing I know I'm leading off and playing third base. I was more than surprised because I don't consider myself very talented or that great of an athlete. The only thing I have going for me is my work ethic, the fact that I'm always going the extra step to make myself better."
Part of the surprise is that Conway played the entire season at the hot corner, a position he had never held in his life.
"Early on in pre-season practice they moved me to third from second base, where I had always played," Conway said. "It was a tough adjustment and for awhile I felt as if I was going to misplay every ball I booted so many grounders. But eventually I got more comfortable there."
Through the hardships of the team's Ivy League struggles so far this season, Conway remains optimistic about the team's success this year.
"We just have to go out and show how good of a baseball team we can be and not worry how any other team is doing," Conway says.
He said the frustration of a 14-8 start on the season will eventually be a positive sign, even if he cannot taste the fruits just yet.
"It's hard for me to imagine that last year I was excited about a season where we went 22-16 because I don't think I lost 16 games in my four years of high school combined," said Conway, whose high school team was ranked sixth in the nation during his senior season. "But it's great here because when we win, I got to see the faces of guys who had never tasted that kind of success. To come into a program and help develop it into a winning program is a nice feeling."
Although you would never know from looking at him, Dartmouth hasn't been all smiles for Conway. The ballplayer from Englewood, Col. wants to be known more as an economics student than an infielder.
"The work here is tough, nothing like I've ever experienced before and certainly a different level than USD. People here say all I do is eat, sleep and think baseball, but I'd rather eat, sleep and think economics."
Don't get him wrong, though. He'd like to use economics to negotiate a fair major league contract.
"Playing ball after college in the minors would be a dream come true," Conway said. "I'd love to do that for a few years, but if I never got to the majors, I know it would be time to get out of baseball."
For now, Conway has no thoughts of getting out of baseball, out of Dartmouth, or out of class.
Two years ago, he only had two lines in the College's media guide, noting him as a backup infielder. Now, its hard to imagine him having less than two lines on the guide's records page.
