Mavericks' Purple Raen

Bobby Rae was an All-NCC third
baseman for the Mavericks in 1984

As an infielder for Minnesota State back in the mid-1980's, Bloomington native Bobby Rae hit .353 over the course of 70 games in two seasons of varsity baseball under the direction of head coach Dean Bowyer.

The Mavericks went 54-34-1 in 1984 and 1985 in capturing a pair of North Central Conference North Division titles and appeared in the 1985 NCAA DII Midwest Regional where they posted a second-place finish in Romeoville, Ill.  Rae garnered All-NCC First Team honors as a third baseman in 1984.

A 1986 graduate of the school, Rae has remained in Minnesota where he now serves as a vice president for RBC Wealth Management in Edina.

As it is with most Land of 10,000 Lakes natives, Rae has an affinity to the Twins and has been known to play a little boot hockey.  But with the recent passing of legendary Prince Rogers Nelson, his connection to one of the state's iconic musicians gives him some unique perspective on what it's like to be Minnesotan.

Not unlike Rae, Prince was a native of the state and his musical drama movie Purple Rain and Oscar-award winning soundtrack hit the theatres in 1984.  The movie was filmed in Minneapolis and Rae and one of his friends responded to a newspaper ad looking for extras. After showing up with a head shot and going through a short "audition" in a theatre across the street from First Avenue (the venue in which Prince rehearsed and performed in the movie) where they danced with a couple of girls in order to gauge their rhythm, they were asked to come back to First Avenue for actual filming of the concert scenes.

“It was cool," said Rae, who was already a Prince fan prior to the release of the movie and subsequent Purple Rain album.  "They had everyone show up at the theatre where they divided us into two groups. The first group would go shoot scenes in the morning. The next group would go over and shoot in the afternoon."

Rae, who said that he was paid $125 for his "role" in the audience, heard the unpublished songs from Purple Rain for the first time during his short stint in the movie business. “They had music playing, which was Prince’s music from the movie, which wasn’t playing commercially yet. We thought, "this is the greatest music we’ve ever heard".  But just to sit and watch how they filmed was really interesting. Obviously I’d never seen a movie being made before. Of the four songs that my friend and I were in, they gave us the actions of I Will Die For You and the part you can actually see me in the Purple Rain scene, they had to show us how to raise our hands above our heads and that kind of stuff.”

Rae has remained a Prince fan since his brief brush with greatness and appreciated the fact the artist remained in the area where he grew up before passing.

"He liked his roots, I think. I don’t know if he liked it better because this is where he was from, but this is what he knew, versus Hollywood. He was just cool and while it's been somewhat surprising to see the outpouring and tributes globally, I guess that's the indication of how iconic he is.  You have Elvis. And Michael Jackson. Then there's Prince right there with them. I think it’s tremendous that a lot of people are reminiscing and remembering the music and his talent.”

                                               - contributed by Courtney Johnson, Athletic Communications Intern

Casey

Casey Lloyd has been calling Minnesota State basketball
games since the early 1970's. He was inducted into the
Maverick Hall of Fame in 1998.

Casey Lloyd has a lifetime of stories to tell.  Many of them centering around Minnesota State Athletics.

A 1971 graduate of the school, the Butterfield, Minn., native began broadcasting Maverick Athletic events as an undergrad, joined the radio station which held the broadcast rights to Maverick football and men’s basketball in 1975, and has continued calling games, almost unabated, in the four decades since. Well known in the community as the play-by-play announcer for football and men basketball, he’s also served in play-by-play capacities for and women's basketball, and men's hockey.

Lloyd has spent most of his adult life travelling across the country along with the Minnesota State teams, and that is something the coaches really value.  Lloyd was with the Minnesota State men’s basketball team that advanced to the 2011 NCAA Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass., and “having him along with us with meant everything,” said head coach Matt Margenthaler. “He just might be our biggest fan and he truly does bleed Purple and Gold.”

Margenthaler adds that Lloyd’s encyclopedia-like knowledge of the program is important. “Casey is so special because he has so much knowledge of the present and the past of Maverick Athletics. Our players need to know who came before them and Casey plays an important role in us continuing to build our culture.”

His contributions to his alma mater were recognized in 1998 when he was inducted into the Minnesota State Athletics Hall of Fame and also garnered the Kolpack Media Award from the North Central Conference that same year.

Known for finding unusual places to eat on the road, Lloyd has been told many times that he should write a book about his culinary adventures. He has also served in a media relations director and chief public address announcer capacity at several state and national amateur baseball and softball events held in Mankato and spends his time broadcasting Road America during the summers. He also has volunteered his time to the community by teaching StreetSmarts School, where he helps teenagers obtain their licenses and learn how to drive safely.

But, unquestionably, he is most known for his involvement in Maverick Athletics. Having worked in that environment for as long as he has gives him insight into how things have progressed. Lloyd's background with the school, which include working with former coaches such as Butch Raymond, Dan McCarrell, Dean Bowyer, Don Brose and Dan Runkle, gives him a unique perspective. Many of the school’s programs are enjoying a run of success and to the gregarious Lloyd, it’s obvious as to why. “It’s pretty simple. The school has done a great job of hiring good people to run the programs. These coaches want their players to succeed in every aspect of their lives.”

A long time ago, a Drake University broadcaster gave Lloyd a valuable lesson in being a successful broadcaster is remembering to just be you. And throughout his life Lloyd has learned that you can’t get stuck on one thing.  “The more interests you have in life, you will live happier and healthier,” said Lloyd. “And, ultimately, the most important lesson of life is that relationships are what you remember and there is no more important value then family.”

                                                                               contributed by Kaitlyn Kanne, Athletic Communications intern

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Millsie

Paul Mills was the 1998 North Central
Conference Pitcher of the Year

The mind does wander occasionally and it's crazy how one gets from one place to another.  Something will trigger a thought and things come racing back.

That happens this time of year, every year for me.

As we were discussing the possibility of California Chrome winning horse racing's Triple Crown with the 139th running of the Preakness Stakes taking place Saturday, I thought back to 1988.

The Maverick Baseball team that year featured a lanky blonde-headed righthanded pitcher from Coon Rapids, Minn., named Paul Mills.

Millsie, a senior who threw from the side, was in his second year with the program after transferring from Anoka-Ramsey where he was was a dominant player for the Rams, earning all-state, all-region and All-America honors as a JUCO performer.  After his first year with us in 1987, he proved to be dominant at the NCAA DII level as well. He was named the 1988 North Central Conference Pitcher of the Year, All-NCC First Team and All-Region after going 6-1 with a 1.71 earned average while fanning 44 batters in 42 innings his last season with the Mavericks.

I can remember having a conversation with Paul in the dugout at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud prior to a MSU game vs. St. Cloud State that spring. The Kentucky Derby was taking place that day (May 7) and he asked me who I thought would win the race. Now I'm no horse racing afficianado, but have on occasion been called a dilettante. While the exact details of our conversation remain foggy, I do recall him initiating things by saying something like "Hey, PA, who do have in the Derby today?" and us discussing each other's picks.

A quick check on Google (like I said, I'm a dilettante) shows that Winning Colors with Gary Stevens aboard, won that day in Lexington.

In any event, our office conversation made me think of Paul Mills. The types of memories, like the one I had with him in the dugout that day in St. Cloud, are the little things that in a lot of ways makes this profession special. We're so fortunate to interact with young people on a daily basis.

A year after his senior season, I learned Paul had been in a tragic accident and lost his life, along with two other young adults, when an Amtrak passenger train rammed a van carrying five male adults late at night at a railroad crossing in Coon Rapids. The date was Nov. 12, 1989.

Paul was an engaging, personable and funny type of person. One who made a lasting and memorable impression. He would be 48 years old when this year's Triple Crown races would be taking place.

Thanks to the Kentucky Derby, I think of Paul Mills this time of year. Every year.