While on a road trip in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system, Randy Wiens, father of junior BYU shortstop Ranger Wiens, came across a military article in a magazine.

The article dealt with Army rangers, a specially trained elite combat unit in the U.S. military.

The ranger's creed inspired Randy, leading him to name his first-born son Ranger.

"If I didn't play professional baseball, I wanted to be a ranger," Randy said. "They stand for loyalty and honor, teaching you to respect yourself and respect others."

As the Cougars' co-captain and starting shortstop, Ranger Wiens works to represent the creed his name stands for.

In the Ranger's creed, an acronym defines the responsibilities of being an Army Ranger.

"R - Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger . . . I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high-spirited corps of my Ranger Regiment."

The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Randy as a pitcher in the fifth round after he posted a 16-1 record in his first year at Merced College in Merced, Calif.

The same night, the Cardinals informed Randy that they could not sign him because he was a Canadian citizen. Only American citizens could be selected in the Major League Draft back then.

After another season at Merced College, Randy signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was in the Blue Jays organization for three years, finishing his career in the organization's AAA level, the highest level in the minor leagues.

After the Blue Jays released Randy in 1979, he met his future wife Sheryl. A year later, their first of three children was born. Randy had the choice of their first child's name. He made his son a Ranger.

"A - Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is an elite soldier . . .."

Ranger learned to play baseball from his parents. His father would throw batting practice or hit ground balls to him in the street. And if his father couldn't do it, his mother would step in and do the same.

Ranger learned to play shortstop while his younger brother, Logan, chose the position of his father.

"I just wanted to develop him (Ranger) as an overall baseball player," Randy said. "He had such gifted, natural ability that he naturally took to the shortstop position."

Ranger began to develop his talent at Golden Valley High School in Merced, Calif. As a senior, he hit .430 and had 16 doubles, five triples, eight home runs and 24 stolen bases.

"N - Never shall I fail my comrades . . .."

After high school, Ranger played his freshman year at the University of Nevada--Reno. He helped the Wolf Pack to a 38-20 overall record and a 21-9 mark in the Big West Conference in 1999.

Ranger went on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Hawaii after his freshman year at Nevada. Last year, after completing his mission, he joined the Cougars.

As a sophomore for BYU, Ranger hit .318 and had 14 doubles, three home runs and 32 RBIs. He helped the Cougars win the Mountain West Championship and barely miss the NCAA Super Regionals last year.

Ranger said team unity, not individual performances, is what brought the team together at the end of last season.

"There's 30 guys in the clubhouse and everyone's different," Ranger said. "Our job is to come together as a team. With 30 different attitudes, that's tough. It helps you grow and build character as an individual if you do it in the right way."

"G - Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy . . . shall set the example for others to follow."

In his second year with the Cougars, Ranger is learning to be a leader for his team. His teammates voted him as one of the team's tri-captains for the 2003 season.

"He's a quiet leader," BYU baseball coach Vance Law said. "He's a shy young man, and he doesn't say a whole lot. He leads by example. That's the kind of leadership our team needs. Besides a vocal leader, you need someone who's going to play all-out all the time."

"E - Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle, for I am better trained and will fight with all my might . . . under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country."

Last year, Wiens was selected to the All-Mountain West Tournament team. In the tournament, he made several outstanding defensive plays.

"I haven't seen a better shortstop play at the collegiate level than how Ranger played the last three weeks of the season in the Mountain West Tournament," Law said. "It was spectacular. If scouts didn't like what they saw, then they don't like shortstops."

"R - Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission . . .."

In the first game of this year's season against the University of Arizona, Wiens started with a bang. He went four-for-five in the game with a home run and two doubles, helping the Cougars to a 6-3 victory.

Through eight games this year, Wiens is hitting .344 with one home run and four doubles.

As his mission at BYU comes closer to completion, Wiens anticipates his possible future mission in professional baseball.

"I've had lots of up and downs, lots of successes and lots of failures," Wiens said. "You get to the point where you wonder if you're really going to make it. But the last two years have been great for me. I really look forward to playing pro ball in the near future."

The next level will be harder and require more endurance, but Wiens can face it living the creed that comes with having the name Ranger.

Copyright Brigham Young University 3 Mar 2003