PHOTO GALLERY: Scott Wingo Day in Mauldin

Wow, what a turnout. As someone said,"If Scott Wingo were merely a good baseball player a gym full of people would not have come out on a Sunday afternoon to watch him have his high school jersey retired and be presented with the key to the city."

The fact that such a large number (approximately 2,000) of family, friends and fans attended the ceremony this afternoon at the Mauldin Recreation Center is a testament to Wingo’s character but the high regard in which the Mauldin community holds his family.

In addition to the aforementioned honors, Wingo was recognized by state and federal officials for his contribution to the community. He then addressed the crowd and thanked many of them for attending and for helping him on his journey to becoming the Most Outstanding Player of this year’s College World Series and two-time National Champion.

Next, Wingo begins his professional career. On Thursday, he’s headed to Ogden, Utah where he’ll join the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league team there, which is known as the Raptors.

But today was a time for him to be welcomed home and thanked one last time. As he shook hands and was given hugs he was reminded that he’ll be carrying the wishes and prayers of an entire community on his next journey.