Columnist values education over riches

When did receiving a college education start having less importance? It seems that every year some of this country's best young athletes become more and more swayed by the all-mighty dollar to skip college in order to pursue their big league dreams.

Problem is; however, they are skipping college for big league dreams, although they will be struggling to make ends meet in the minor leagues.

Not long after this year's amateur baseball draft, two Purdue baseball recruits opted to bypass college for a chance at one day becoming a major leaguer.

Bruce Dohrman, a left-handed outfielder from Garrett, Ind., and Chris Bass, a short stop from Madison, Ind., are the latest Purdue recruits who were taken in the draft and opted for bypassing college.

Bass was selected in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Dohrman was taken in the 19th round by the Minnesota Twins and neither of them wasted any time in deciding to go pro over attending college.

Of course, I do not doubt their ability as baseball players and maybe they will make it to the big leagues in a fairly quick time, but that still is not a substitute for a quality education. Maybe they will decide to attend college later in life, but the longer one waits, the harder it is — this I know as one of the older juniors at Purdue.

After all, if a high school baseball player is good enough to get drafted right out of high school, aren't the odds of that same player getting drafted after a college career with a Big Ten team pretty high? I would think the logical answer is yes — plus a much smarter and more-well rounded human being with a college degree doesn't hurt.

For example, former Purdue closer Andy Helmer was drafted out of high school in the 16th round in the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Yankees. Helmer decided that his college education was more important than working his way through the minors. Helmer came to Purdue and became a better pitcher and a better person — setting Purdue's single season saves record this past season and receiving nothing but positive comments from those who know him.

Following his successful career, Helmer was drafted again in this year's draft in the 25th round by the Cleveland Indians with a baseball in his right hand and a prestigious Purdue diploma in his left. Sure, he dropped a few rounds in the draft, but that's only because major league teams go for the more vulnerable youth in the draft.

Of course, baseball is not the only sport where prep athletes opt for professional sports. Basketball has been notorious for luring young college athletes to the annual NBA draft.

It's one thing when basketball players leave college early. Maybe college life isn't for everyone after all. However, when student athletes do not even give college a try, they will not even realize what they are missing.

Even when college basketball players skip college all together, such as Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett for example, the situation is much different than these young baseball players.

The reason it's different is that if a young basketball player is good enough to skip college, chances are they are going to get drafted and have an opportunity to play. The number of basketball players, although stiflingly on the increase, is still far less than the number of baseball players who get drafted in the annual Major League Baseball amateur draft and bypass continuing education.

Now, I still do not agree with even the most talented basketball players skipping college, like the Lakers' Bryant, who just might be the most talented young player in the NBA, as I believe everyone in America needs a college education to survive. However, at least when young players opt to go straight to the professional ranks, they are most likely going to the NBA — the highest level.

With baseball, this is not usually the case. There are hundreds of teams in several leagues at all levels that young players can go to in pursuing their dreams.

Chances are, however, that the majority of these talented ball players will be sent to the low-paying minor leagues. The horror stories of the minors, which can be seen — slightly glamorized if you can believe it — in the movie "Bull Durham" starring Kevin Costner.

The reality is these guys who turn down full-ride scholarships to play at athletically, and more importantly academically top-notch institutions are giving up a great life experience to play minor league baseball for anywhere from $500-$800 a month.

Sure a $500,000 signing bonus is tempting — similar to the one Harrison High School ace pitcher David Beigh will receive with the Pittsburgh Pirates — it does not equal what knowledge and experience gained at college will provide.

I'm not saying Beigh won't make it to the big leagues — in fact, I think he will and possibly even soon. What's more is there is a stipulation in his contract that he will get his college paid for if he decides that his major league hopes are really just dreams. This is a great signing incentive, but I doubt he will actually use it. The just-enough paycheck he'll be receiving to play baseball for a couple of years in the minors will be just enough to keep him out of college.

Beigh, who was the 59th overall pick by Pittsburgh in this year's draft, will sign the contract this evening at 7:30 at Harrison High School. The fact that this young athlete's skipping college is actually being promoted by a high school is equally baffling to me.

Of course, none of these three aforementioned cases are my decision and what is chosen between these athletes and their families must be in their best interest; however, I have a hard time believing any athlete bypassing a quality education is the right decision.