As Dave Hollins was working his way through Orchard Park High School, the University of

South Carolina and the minor leagues, there were other names from just before his scholastic

days he could look up to.

Think Phil Mankowski, Billy Scherrer, Kevin Kobel, Dave Geisel, Matt Winters. Scherrer even

won a World Series ring with the 1984 Detroit Tigers.

Now imagine you're a top local kid today. What are your coaches and your parents probably

all wondering? If you can be the next Dave Hollins. As far as big-league careers go,

not many have come out of these parts and fared better.

"It's amazing how quick we get older," a smiling Hollins said Sunday in Pettibones Grille

before his richly deserved induction into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame. "I've got five

kids (ranging from ages 3-14) over there behind us. I remember playing on the field battling

to make a living and make your mark in your profession like we all try to do. Now I'm 43 with

five kids and I'm watching. It is funny but life keeps going on."

While that's certainly true, you always enjoy great days for reflection. That was what

Sunday's pregame ceremony represented.

Hollins, an elder statesman on the Bisons' 91-win team of 2001, got his Hall call along

with Carlos Garcia, the young shortstop on three great Buffalo teams (1990-92). Garcia, who

married a Lancaster woman, came back to his adopted home to become a three-year coach. He

capped his time here with the Governors' Cup champions of 2004, who took his tutelage to

record-setting offensive heights, topped by Jhonny Peralta's MVP season.

Hollins, now a scout for the Baltimore Orioles, still looks fit and trim like he could be

scooping balls at third base or banging them over the fence. He'd like to see more players

from his hometown get that chance.

"One thing that bothered me at South Carolina and in the minor leagues was how many guys

from this area that were as good or better as guys I was playing with never got a chance," he

said. "People discounted our competition versus other parts of the country and that wasn't

right. You can't blame the kid for who they're facing. It's not their fault the other guy

isn't throwing 95 [mph]. That stood out for me."

Hollins was thrilled to get another Orchard Park player, outfielder Kyle Hoppy, drafted in

June by his Orioles. Hoppy is expected to sign his professional contract with Hollins'

employer rather than heading to Bucknell to play football.

"I think Kyle Hoppy is going to be better than I was. I really do," Hollins said. "This kid

has got a chance to get in there at a younger age and he's more advanced than I was. Hopefully

it will open up the area for more players."

In parts of 12 big-league seasons, Hollins was an all-star and a key member of the

Phillies' 1993 World Series team. I remember talking to him last year about the '08 Phils' run

and he recounted how his cell phone blazed with messages when FOX replayed his home run off

Greg Maddux during the clinching Game Six of the 1993 National League Championship Series.

When he got to Buffalo for five games late in 2000 and again for 89 more in 2001, he was

nearing the end. But a funny thing happened: Hollins had an amazing amount of fun here.

Known as one of the most intense, no-fun guys on the planet in his prime, his 2001 season

was a revelation. He hit .272 with 16 homers and 67 RBIs, earned the team's comeback player of

the year award and was able to share the game with his family.

The '01 Herd won its first six games and remains Buffalo's only wire-to-wire division

champion, finishing with 91 victories — the franchise's most since 1936.

It was quite a collection: Veterans like Karim Garcia, Tim Laker, Greg LaRocca, Chris

Hammond and Jamie Walker. Hopefuls like John McDonald, Mark Budzinski, Chris Coste, Anthony

Medrano, Dave Roberts, Mike Bacsik and Tim Drew.

"Playing here was great for the family," Hollins said. "I was at a different point in my

career. The kids and family were really able to enjoy the season here, moreso than when I was

under the gun playing in the major leagues trying to make it up there. It was life and death

every game it seemed like.

"... We won 90-plus games and it was fun. That was my most memorable year outside the World

Series run in Philly. I enjoyed that year more than any other."

Hollins is having a good time in his new career, too. You see him around Coca-Cola Field

all the time scouting for the O's. He's responsible for reports on the Mets, Phillies, Tigers

and Pirates minor leaguers at all levels as well as a few other International League teams. He

can spend most of his time in places like Buffalo, Rochester and Detroit's Double-A team in

Erie, Pa.

But he has to be careful what he puts in his reports. Not many young players are cut from

his kind of intensity.

"Guys are a little different today," he admitted. "It looks so much easier sitting where we

sit. You can see the speed of the game a lot more. I've got to remind myself how tough it was

to play out there. From a fan's and media point of view, it looks so much easier.

"As far as intensity, there's things that do bother me. Hustle issues that don't take

talent to do. When I recommend a guy, if he's not going to be a guy who's going to hustle and

bring a positive energy to our ballclub, I've got to be careful because your name is on the

back of that recommendation."

Just imagine a scout's writeup on Hollins over all these years. Intense. Hustler. Power.

Good glove. We got to add another notch on his resume Sunday: Hall of Famer. A hometown honor.

Hope we see more like him.