Albers: An Inspiration for All on Both Fields of Play

Harvard had just surrendered the lead to Columbia when captain Peter Albers batted in the top of the seventh inning. With the score tied at six, Albers hit a fastball on the outside part of the plate into the wind and, eventually, out of the park. It was the first righthanded homer that Albers had hit since he was 12.

"That bomb was pretty big," senior Frank Hogan said. "After that, I don't think there was anyone on the team who was doubtful that we'd win."

When freshman Erik Binkowski entered a game in Florida, Albers offered input from the outfield.

"He was saying, 'Move back on this guy, up on this one,'" Binkowski said. "It's very encouraging when the guy in front of you wants to make you better, not push you back."

Versatility helps Albers, as he can play any position in the infield. A career shortstop, Albers also pitched frequently for St.Augustine High School in San Diego. In college, he switched to first base just last year. That season, he led the team with 296 putouts.

"The more positions you play, the more you understand the game," Albers said. "I had a better appreciation for first base once I moved there. It's harder than it looks. Pitching helped me understand how a pitcher thinks and works, as well as how he determines what to throw in certain situations."

Albers has played baseball since he was four years old. He was an All-County at St. Augustine, and captained the team as a senior. His squad won three league titles. In one championship game, against archrival University High, Albers got the game-winning hit with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eleventh. It was his most memorable moment in baseball.

"Beating Miami [in a 9-6 Harvard win on March 29] was not too shabby, either," Albers said.

After the first 15 games this season, Albers was batting .400. He led the team with 12 RBIs, tied with sophomore Andrew Huling, and a .675 slugging percentage. Albers was second in hits (16) and total bases (27). Last year, he hit .317, drove in 25 runs, and was third in total bases (51).

"I try to keep things as simple as possible at the plate," Albers said. "I stay relaxed, stay soft and quick with my hands."

Although he claims that he is "superstitious in that he is not superstitious", Albers refuses to step on the lines when he runs onto the field.

Albers, a switch-hitter, bats in the cleanup spot.

As a freshman, Albers hit .224 and drove in five runs. He started 14 games and played in 27. His first college hit, a bunt single, came against Cornell.

"The seniors still make fun of me for it," Albers said.

Albers laid down a perfect bunt, but he tripped over the first-base bag.

"I was a little green as a rookie," Albers said. He played behind Mike Giardi, another captain, that year. "Mike is an unbelievable athlete and a real classy guy. He's one of the best hitters I ever played with. He helped teach me that you need to be relaxed to play baseball."

That year, Albers faced his toughest pitcher: Yale's Dan Lock. Albers grounded back to Lock in that at-bat.

"I was glad that I didn't strike out," Albers said.

He hit .250 and stole a team-best 10 bases as a sophomore, but he calls that year a collection of tough moments.

"I had a terrible season," Albers said. "I fielded miserably and I didn't hit very well. The team was down as a group. It kept getting worse and worse. Nothing went right, and I was the poster child for that."

However, his attitude carried him through.

"He has such a positive attitude," Hogan said. "He didn't let it bother him. He was always bouncing back."

Last year, Joe Walsh took over as coach, and the team went 23-17.

"Coach Walsh was the foundation of what turned out program around," Albers said. "It was attitude more than anything. Coach Walsh has a love for the game and preaches an aggressive type of baseball. It became more fun for me to play."

Soccer is an equally important part of Albers' life. He has played soccer since age three; his father, Tony, says he learned to walk by kicking a soccer ball. This year, he finished 5-1 in the net, posting a 1.06 goals-against average. Albers made nine saves in the team's first-round win against Boston University in the NCAA tournament. At the half, BU led, 2-0.

"On the second goal, the ball rolled under him," said soccer captain Will Kohler. "The player was 35 yards out. At halftime, he apologized to us and said he was not going to let up another ball."

That promise held up, and Harvard eventually won, 3-2.

In 1994, his .19 GAA barely missed breaking the league record of .16. Albers allowed just one goal in Ivy action.

"The defenders and I were kicking ourselves after that goal," Albers said. With 50 seconds left, Harvard led Princeton, 4-1. "It was raining and the shot was a header. It squibbed past me on sort of a tricky hop. I had no complaints, though. We had beaten Princeton and we were supposed to have lost to them."

Albers is also a two-time winner of the World Junior Frisbee Championships. When he was 18, he set what was then the world record for distance, 193.55 meters, at a World Championships tournament.

"I knew it was a pretty good throw," Albers said. "I was pretty excited." Albers' accomplishments gained him a spot on a Frosted Flakes commercial. He has held six world records.

"Harvard almost chose me," said Albers, who originally did not plan to apply here. He was considering either Santa Clara or Notre Dame when he received a call from the Crimson baseball coach. Albers then called the soccer coach, who seemed interested.

An economics concentrator, Albers is taking Economics 1813, Science B-40 (his last Core class) and Baseball in American Society in his final semester. After graduation, he is interested in professional soccer or even baseball. He has also received a few job offers, and is considering volunteer grant work with the Christian Volunteer Corps.

Albers said he will miss his teammates the most.

"I've seen a wide spectrum of different kinds of personalities," he said. "On a varsity sport, you get to know the guys so well. You don't ever get that back."