Kirby Puckett’s name is synonymous with baseball, but what if he chose a career on the basketball hardwood instead? Twenty years ago, NIU associate athletic director Robert Collins put to rest any of those thoughts for the Hall of Famer.

As the varsity coach for Calumet High School in 1977, Collins had the unfortunate task of telling Puckett he wasn’t good enough to make it in basketball. All of his competition on the hardwood had a decided advantage on the 5-foot-8-inch Puckett.

“I had a bunch of guys his size that were just as good of athletes,” said Collins. “I said you stick with baseball — you can play, you’ll be fine with that. When I saw him play, he played third base and pitcher. I knew he could hit, but he could throw the ball. At third base, I remember he used to fool around; he would let the man get down the line, then he would just gun him down.”

The always-cheerful Puckett took his cutting from the basketball squad just as he took everything else that came his way: in a proud and blissful manner.

“He just said, ‘OK, coach, thanks a lot. I’ll see you at the game,'” said Collins about Puckett. “He always had a positive attitude.”

That positive attitude carried over to Puckett’s 11 years playing Major League Baseball with the Minnesota Twins, culminating in his Hall of Fame induction on Jan. 17.

“I’m extremely proud of him because his attitude gave his ability a chance to be recognized,” Collins said. “Even though he came from a rough neighborhood and came from adversity, he always had an upbeat attitude. So many times kids’ attitudes can negate their abilities, and he was one when you got past that smile and that bubbly attitude you would say, ‘He could play baseball, too, and he’s a team player.'”

Puckett’s career was shortened when he was diagnosed in 1996 with irreversible glaucoma, leaving him blind in his right eye. He was left with no other option but to hang up his cleats indefinitely.

After serving as varsity head coach at Calumet, Collins moved on to several assistant college coaching stints. Starting off at NIU as Jim Rosborough’s assistant, Collins helped NIU to three solid seasons. Then, he moved on to be Joey Meyer’s assistant at DePaul and then back to DeKalb to his current position of associate athletic director.

In his ninth year as director, Collins serves as a role model to many students.

After a mother of an NIU student read a recent article on Collins in a Chicago Newspaper regarding his relationship with Puckett (Chicago Defender), Collins soon received a call.

“She called me because she had seen what I did for Kirby, so to speak,” said Collins. “She said to me, ‘I’m a God-bearing woman, and I just have been reaching out.'”

Serving as a mentor for many NIU students, which goes way beyond any job-description, Collins is more than willing to help out youth — even if it means keeping them away from basketball.