FAYETTEVILLE — It’s often said the hardest thing to do in sports is hit a pitched ball with a bat.
That never seemed that hard for Tyler Spoon.
Ever since he first picked up a bat, Spoon has seemed to have a relatively easy time putting an old-fashioned walloping on a baseball.
It’s that skill that has brought the Van Buren star to Fayetteville for the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star game. It’s also a major reason why Spoon will play for Arkansas next year.
“It comes natural to me,” said Spoon, who hit .385 with five home runs as a senior and .470 as a junior. “I don’t know how it does, but I’ve always hit the ball pretty well. I’ve played ever since 5-year-old T-Ball, and I could always hit. I wasn’t as athletic back in the day, but I hit the ball pretty good.”
Spoon’s bat has cemented his reputation and opened his future. When Spoon signed with the Razorbacks, Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said the soon-to-be freshman had a chance to earn playing time early.
“He has a chance to come in right away and find a way to get in the lineup because he has such a nice swing,” Van Horn said in November 2010. “He already uses the whole field.”
As a junior, Spoon helped Van Buren reach the Class 7A state title game, where the Pointers lost 12-0 to Bryant as Hornets starter Ben Wells threw a five-inning perfect game. The only threat to the perfect game was a first-inning smash off Spoon’s bat that Bryant first baseman Brady Butler managed to field.
“Some people may hit it, but no one hits it that hard,” Butler said after the game.
Playing baseball and hitting may be what Spoon does best, but it’s hardly the only things he does well. Spoon was an outstanding football player and started on the basketball team for the Pointers when he wasn’t earning All-Arkansas honors on the baseball field.
“I figured playing other sports would help out with baseball,” said Spoon, who was an All-Arkansas Super Sophomore selection as a defensive back. “I just didn’t want to not play other sports when I could. I wanted to have fun, but my goal was to play college baseball.”
Spoon played third base and catcher predominantly for Van Buren, but Pointers Coach David Loyd said there wasn’t a position Spoon couldn’t play. That’s not as hard as hitting, maybe, but Loyd said it’s rare to find a player with the combination of athleticism and skill to play anywhere.
“He was a huge part of our program the last three years,” Loyd said. “He can do so many things and play so many positions. There’s not a position he can’t play, and I can’t remember another player I could say that about.
“He has ability that a lot of other kids just don’t have.”
Loyd was quick to add that, athleticism and versatility aside, Spoon is a hitter.
“He can really hit,” Loyd said. “He does everything really good, but what sets him apart is his ability to hit. He puts the ball in play hard.”
Spoon said he is looking forward to taking his game to Arkansas next year with one last stop on the high school level before he goes. The All-Star games will give Spoon a chance to go out with a bang, most likely with his bat.
“I just want to have fun,” Spoon said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal.”Spoon glance NAME Tyler Spoon HIGH SCHOOL Van Buren POSITIONS Catcher/Third base ALL-STAR TEAM East NOTEWORTHY Will play baseball at Arkansas next year. ... All-Arkansas baseball selection as a junior after helping the Pointers reach the Class 7A state title game. ... Set the school single-season passing record with nearly 2,400 yards as a senior. ... Was an All-Arkansas Super Sophomore football selection as a cornerback
Sports, Pages 15 on 06/20/2011