Ole Miss baseball gives update on potential Tim Elko statue
Ole Miss first baseman Tim Elko had already become a folk hero among his peers and fans alike for his history of heroics in big games and larger-than-life image on the baseball diamond. Now, as a national champion, his iconic mustache could feature on a statue outside Swayze Field with good reason.
During the national championship celebration, Ole Miss baseball’s social media team hinted at a Tim Elko statue making its debut at some point in the future.
The road for Elko was not always sunshine and home runs. He hit .214 with three total home runs across his first two years with the Rebels before a hot start in 2020 with a .354 average, three home runs and 15 RBI was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, Elko proved his worth, batting .325 with 16 home runs and 55 RBI’s. In the middle of that season, he suffered a torn ACL, but miraculously returned just a month later, and continued playing through pain in his knee.
Rested and healthier in his fifth season, Elko hit .300 and totaled 24 home runs and 75 RBIs en route to finishing his collegiate career as a national champion.
Tim Elko on national championship
The age-old tale of the veteran college star sticking around campus for one more season with aspirations national championship aspirations has been told on every NCAA Division I campus in the country. For Ole Miss star Tim Elko – that dream became reality Sunday.
“I mean, it’s hard to put into words,” Elko said. “No, really, me and Kev and people that maybe could have gone, we came back one more year to play with the guys sitting up here with me and that we’re on the field today.
“We came back to play one more time as a team and go for the shot to win a national championship, and obviously we did that. It feels amazing.”
Elko then told reporters that he could not be more elated with his decision to come back to Oxford for his team’s historic national title run.
“There’s so much to be said about how much we overcame this year, how much we had to fight through, how much we had to pick each other up and never let ourselves get too down,” Elko said. “This story of our season is going to be told for years and years and years to come.
“This is the best Ole Miss baseball team in history, and it feels so good, and it’s an honor to be a part of it.”