'Awesome Auburn man': David Ross gets World Series support from former teammate Tim Hudson

'Awesome Auburn man': David Ross gets World Series support from former teammate Tim Hudson'Awesome Auburn man': David Ross gets World Series support from former teammate Tim Hudson

Oct. 25, 2016

By Jeff Shearer
AuburnTigers.com

AUBURN, Ala. - Tim Hudson will be watching with interest Tuesday when the Chicago Cubs play in the World Series for the first time in 71 years.

His friend and former teammate, David Ross, will be behind the plate for Chicago, which last won the Series in 1908.

"I'm really proud of David," Hudson said. "He's had an opportunity to go out on top, being a winner of the World Series. Not only that, but to have an opportunity to have a chance to win it with the Cubs, an organization that hasn't won it in so long."

Hudson and Ross first teamed up at Auburn in 1996-97. They reunited in the big leagues on the Atlanta Braves from 2009-12.

Ross announced in the winter that this season would be his last. The Cubs have embraced their 39-year-old teammate, whom they affectionately refer to as "Grandpa Rossy."

"I'm just really happy for him," Hudson said. "I'm happy for how the city has embraced him. How his teammates have made this season really special for him."

David Ross, in 1997 at the College World Series, after his dramatic home run in the NCAA Regional." style="width:100%; height:auto;" class="imported_image" legacy-link="http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/aub/sports/m-basebl/auto_a_storywide/12194353.jpeg"> David Ross, in 1997 at the College World Series, after his dramatic home run in the NCAA Regional.

Hudson and Ross played key roles in 1997, Auburn's most recent College World Series appearance. Hudson was an All-American, the SEC Player of the Year. Ross' walk-off home run against Florida State in the NCAA Regional is perhaps the signature moment in Auburn baseball history.

As professionals, they remained close to each other and to Auburn.

When Auburn beat Oregon in the BCS National Championship Game in January, 2011, the Hudson and Ross families got together in Arizona to cheer for the Tigers.

"Great teammate. Awesome guy. Awesome Auburn man," Hudson said. "I think the stars are lining up for him to go out as a winner."

Twenty years after his Auburn debut, Tim Hudson threw out the first pitch before a game in 2016." style="width:100%; height:auto;" class="imported_image" legacy-link="http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/aub/sports/m-basebl/auto_a_storywide/12194310.jpeg"> Twenty years after his Auburn debut, Tim Hudson threw out the first pitch before a game in 2016.

In 2014, Hudson became, at 39, the oldest pitcher to start Game 7 of the World Series, which his San Francisco Giants won. He retired after the 2015 season with 222 victories.

"The transition for me has been pretty easy," Hudson said. "Toward the end of my career, for about the last year and a half, I knew that the end was coming, so I was coming to grips with it. I knew that physically I wasn't going to be able to compete at that level any more, which made that transition easy for me to take.

"Those young kids are getting a lot younger and a lot better, and I'm getting a lot older and a lot worse. They'll let you know when it's time to hang `em up. If there's a 40-and-older league somewhere, I'd be okay in that one, but playing against those young guys, it's a little different story."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @jeff_shearer