Mac, Part II
Cougars' Friddell makes most of strong bloodlines
February 2000
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BY FRED JETER
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
If the legendary Malcolm "Mac" Pitt were alive today, he'd be bursting
with pride over his great grandson, Malcolm "Mac" Pitt Friddell Jr.
Certainly among area gray-beards, there are few more respected sports
figures than Mac Pitt, the former University of Richmond baseball and
basketball coach and the man for whom the UR baseball diamond-Pitt
Field-is named.
Young Mac Friddell, a sophomore wrestler at Collegiate School, is doing
his part to uphold family tradition.
Not only is the 16-year-old ranked No.1 in the area coaches' poll at
125 pounds, but he is an up-and-comer in the Cougars baseball program
and near the top of his class academically.
"I don't have any children, but if I did, I would want them to be just
like Mac," said Collegiate wrestling coach Wortie Farrell. "He is a
brilliant student - one of the smartest I've ever taught - and just a
super kid all around."
This is Friddell's third season on the Cougars varsity. After seeing spot
duty as an eighth-grader, he wrestled regularly last winter, and posted
a 17-18 record.
He is 15-1 this year and champion of both the Hopewell and Clover
Hill tournaments.
Friddell's only setback came at 130 pounds on a day he was ill.
He is among the favorites for both the upcoming Prep League and State
Independent League tournaments.
"Mac is gritty and just keeps going after it," Farrell said."Even last
year when he was losing some, he never got pinned. In fact, he hasn't
been pinned since eighth grade."
"He's a 200 percenter."
Farrell knows Friddell as a student in his history class and also as a
camper at Camp Virginia in Goshen, a youth retreat that was founded
by Pitt.
"I remember at camp I'd joke around and talk to Mac about getting
into wrestling," said Farrell, a camp counselor. "He's got kind of a
basketball player's body-long and drawn out-and I was worried we'd
lose him to that."
The 5-10 Friddell-tall for the 125 pound class-gave up hoops in eighth
grade to jump aboard Farrell's program.
Friddell, a Tuckahoe Little League veteran, also played baseball last
spring on the Collegiate junior varsity. The infielder hopes to move
up to the varsity this season.
Friddell deflects the attention for his huge upgrade in wrestling record
to his coaches.
"I give the credit to them [Farrell, Don Pate, and John Thoma],"
Friddell said. "Other than that, I've just been lucky, I guess...and
agressive."
Friddell concedes his No.1 area status "caught me by surprise. I
thought I'd do better, but not like this," he said.
Pitt, who was inducted into the Virginia Athletic Hall of Fame, died
when Friddell was about 2 years ago.
"We have a picture of my grandfather holding Mac as a baby,"
said Friddell's father, Mac Sr.,a former athlete at Norfolk
Academy. "And my grandfather got a chance to watch Mac hit
a little baseball off a tee."
"I remember my grandfather laughing, and commenting on Mac's
Swing."
Friddell concedes he has a "very vague" recollection of his great
grandfather.
"But, obviously, I'm proud to be his great grandson," Friddell said.
Friddell got into shape this past fall running cross country for
Collegiate. He combines his exceptional endurance with "deceptive
strength," says Farrell, and tremendous willpower.
"Mac's work ethic is about as good as anyone I've ever coached,"
Farrell said.
Mac Friddell Sr. concurs with Farrell's assessment.
"I think Mac inherited his great grandfather's competitive instincts," he
said.
PITT FILE
A condensed resume of Malcolm "Mac" Pitt, a legendary sportsfigure at the University of Richmond, who died in 1985:
FRIDDELL JR. FILE
Malcolm "Mac" Pitt Fridell, great grandson of Mac Pitt, hashad some sports success of his own:
and runs cross country.
© 2000, Richmond Newspapers Inc.