Ruby DraayerBestselling author John Maxwell once said, “The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”
Ole Miss baseball captain Tim Elko adjusted his sails last season after what seemed to be a season ending ACL knee injury, and with full mobility back this year, he’s continuing to break records and show what true leadership looks like.
After only being able to play 16 games in the 2020 baseball season due to the cancellation from the beginning surge of COVID-19, players felt cheated and were given an extra year of eligibility. All eyes were on the Ole Miss Rebels as the 2021 season opened up to try and find the success that they left off in 2020.
Ole Miss started off the year hot, leaving no doubt that they were the best team in the country. Players were hitting well, the pitching was phenomenal and Ole Miss was sweeping SEC teams at home and away. Everyone seemed to be on the top of their game, but no one was hitting or playing better than Elko. In March of 2021, the senior was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association’s national hitter of the month after batting a .424 with eight home runs and 33 RBI’s in only 17 games. It’s safe to say that he was on top of the world.
Then, on April 5, 2021, against South Alabama, Elko grounded out before suffering a tear in his knee after a first base collision. The Rebels won the game 20-6 in only seven innings, but it looked as though that would be the last time fans would see Elko in a Rebel uniform.
Elko had different plans. He opted to not have the surgery on his knee and put all his focus on rehabbing to get back out onto the field as quickly as possible.
“We got the x-rays back and my doctor told me that we could either have the surgery now, or we could start to get me back onto the field and we could do the surgery later,” Elko said. “Immediately when I knew that it could be an option, I didn’t look back. I knew that I wanted to do anything I could to get back onto the field.”
Many, including myself, thought something like this was reckless and wouldn’t actually work. Against all odds, he proved us wrong. In only six weeks, Elko was hitting in legendary fashion. He was hitting .296 with a .433 on-base percentage, including nine home runs for the Rebels. Elko also drove in 19 RBI’s in 21 games, but his most impressive moments came in the Oxford Regional. While playing through his injury for six weeks, he left people speechless across the country. What he was doing was unimaginable and unheard of. Elko still wanted to show off a little bit more.
He won the Oxford Regionals MVP for driving in 10 runs with three home runs throughout the tournament. Each time he got up to bat, the crowd waited with anticipation and doubt that he could actually do the impossible, again. Elko did it and then some to send the Rebels to the Super Regionals.
“I was just glad to be able to do this for my team. All those guys that helped me get back, it just felt good to give back to them,” Elko said.
Now with the 2022 season in full swing, the legendary first baseman has put the knee injury behind him. He is back starting in the infield, batting a .286 with 63 plate appearances, 30 RBI’s and 8 home runs through 19 games. If you thought he was good with one knee, you should see him with two.
“It’s been a long road,” Elko said. “I was fortunate enough to play, and then I got surgery and recovered even more. Just super excited to get back out there with the guys. It’s great to be back and be able to bounce around and be myself again.”
