SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University graduates Craig White and Randy McKavish brushed against the professional landscape of their respective sports in different ways.

Now they have something in common: both are SRU Athletic Hall of Famers.

Inducted Saturday, the duo recalled the gambles they made in efforts to compete in the pros.

A record-setting middle infielder who led The Rock baseball team to its first Division II tournament berth, White was selected in the 23rd round of the 1989 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I was in their farm system for two years," White said. "I tore up my shoulder diving and sliding, and got released."

Six years later, he got another offer: to join the Boston Red Sox as a replacement player during the 1995 players strike.

White signed with the Red Sox and spent 45 days with the team in spring training.

"I had been playing semipro baseball and decided to call around when I heard teams were bringing in replacements," White said. "The Red Sox offered me a brief look and I made the team.

"The day we were supposed to fly to Minnesota for the regular season opener, the organization pushed our flight back a day. I knew then that we weren't going."

White served as program director for the YMCA in Pittsburgh at the time. He took two weeks of vacation and 30 days on an unpaid leave of absence "to live out a dream."

"That time ran out just when we were told the labor dispute was settled," White said. "I guess it wasn't meant to be.

"Being a replacement player was not a difficult decision at all," he added. "It turned into a 45-day fantasy vacation.".

McKavish was a three-time PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year and led SRU to four consecutive league titles from 1997 to 2000.

Known as an improvisational, mobile quarterback, he was drafted by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League in 2001, shortly after being named one of the MVPs of the Cactus Bowl."The CFL Draft was in March," McKavish recalled. "I didn't sign because I still had hopes of getting into an NFL camp and that draft wasn't until April."I didn't figure on getting drafted, but if I signed with the CFL, I wouldn't even get a free agent shot."The Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Miami Dolphins all talked to McKavish after the Cactus Bowl. He was never offered a tryout.He wound up going to work selling pharmaceuticals for Merck & Co and now is a district manager for the company in Midlothian, Va."Every year, when fall rolls around, I think about what it would be like playing pro football," McKavish said. "Merck took a chance on me even though I told them that if I get invited to an NFL camp, I'm gone."McKavish lost only one regular season home game at The Rock and was 41-9 in his four years."Now my wife and I have two kids and we work hard every day doing what's best for them," he said. "It all worked out in the end."White now is general manager of Grand Vue Park in Moundsville, W.Va."All you can do is take your shot (at pro baseball) and I took mine," White said. "You eventually settle into your career."Basketball player Jack Fullen, discus champion Mike Hambrick, women's basketball scoring leader Heather Kearney and golfer John Zack were also inducted Saturday.

Here are school records set by recent Slippery Rock University Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Craig White and Randy McKavish:<B>CRAIG WHITEBaseball, single season</B>Hits: 81<B>Runs:</B> 61<B>RBI:</B> 80<B>Home runs: </B>12<B>Total bases:</B> 132<B>Slugging pct.:</B> .766<BR></BR><B>RANDY McKAVISHFootball, career</B>Passing attempts: 1,060<B>Completions:</B> 523<B>TD passes:</B> 59<B>Football, single season</B>Passing attempts: 282

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