Oklahoma State University Athletics
Carson Teel & Jon Littell
Brothers In Baseball: Teel & Littell savoring their inseparable journey
February 16, 2018 | Cowboy Baseball
By Matt Villareal, OSU Athletics Communications
Before Carson Teel and Jon Littell were teammates on the Oklahoma State baseball team, their childhood basketball team provided must-see entertainment during the starting lineups.
"When you're growing up, your starting lineups obviously didn't get introduced like in games here," Littell said with a laugh. "So we basically did that ourselves."
An important part of this introduction was when an adolescent Teel would play "We Ready," by Archie Eversole over the loud speaker.
"I'd bring my stereo," Teel said. "We had the song going, and we'd get in a little circle and we'd start swaying back and forth singing with the song. Looking back on it, it's probably one of the dumbest things we've ever done."
"And Carson was always the ring leader of it," Littell added.
When Jim Littell accepted an associate head coaching position for the Oklahoma State women's basketball team in 2005, it did not take Jon long to find a best friend in his new hometown.
Teel recalls that the day Littell got to town, the two bonded in the gym playing basketball.
"We just hit it off right away," Littell said. "We just started playing pick up all the time, playing baseball in the backyard, whatever it was. We were just always competing and having fun."
The two remained close friends throughout their childhood. They shot around on the Gallagher-Iba Arena court after OSU women's basketball games and shot around in the famous arena all day long when the basketball teams were out of town.
Simply put, the two were inseparable – and loved every second of it.
"Those are some of the best memories that we have," Teel said. "Being together, doing the things we love to do and just having a great time doing it."
The two remained together as teammates on basketball and baseball teams growing up, but the ultimate dream was to "Play for Eddie," as Teel puts it, referring to legendary OSU basketball coach Eddie Sutton.
However, when Littell decided he wanted to play baseball in college, plans changed for Teel also.
"When Jon said he was focusing on baseball, he committed (to OSU), then after that, I was like, 'I still want to play with him in whatever we do,'" Teel said. "That changed the goal to wanting to come here and continue that dream in a different area of the game."
Success has been no stranger to Teel and Littell throughout their friendship. The tandem experienced winning a baseball state championship as seniors at Stillwater High School in 2014, and they both went to Omaha as Cowboys for the College World Series in 2016.
"It's like one of those things that you think will happen one of these days," Teel said. "That's something we're always going to look back on like, we did what we thought we were going to do."
Littell said competing at the highest level in both high school and college with one of his best childhood friends is a dream come true.
"The goal in high school is to win a state championship, and we were fortunate enough to do that together," Littell said. "Then in college the goal is to play for a national championship.
"Being able to do that with one of your best friends and a kid that you've grown up with, been through a lot of stuff with, it's pretty special."
Stillwater High graduate and Cowboy baseball head coach Josh Holliday said he feels an extra sense of pride in coaching these two Stillwater-bred players.
"I think it's a neat thing to see kids raised in this community that grow up falling in love with this university, wanting to represent it, and then when given the chance, do so with tremendous pride. Having lived that myself, I relate well to what they feel," said Holliday, who was a prep standout at SHS and a 14th-round pick in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft but turned down the invitation to go pro out of high school to play at OSU.
Holliday said it's important that the community identify with the team and its players and to enjoy watching the team play, and Teel and Littell offer a unique opportunity in that regard.
"When you add some longtime familiarity with these two particular kids, that has to be a treat," Holliday said. "That little 12 year-old that they watched growing up, they're watching them at a different stage, and I think that brings people to the ballpark."
Their lockers sit side-by-side in the Allie P. Reynolds Stadium clubhouse, but Teel and Littell know their time together in Stillwater is winding down and they are intent on cherishing every moment – and creating even more special memories.
Littell's final season with the Cowboys begins today, and the pair is finally faced with thinking about what life will be like without being on the same team.
"What I want to do with Carson and I is just keep building our friendship," Littell said. "And obviously try to win a national championship."
Teel, who is a redshirt junior, said that ending up on the same professional team in the future would cap off the story of their relationship.
"One of these days we might end up back together playing on the same team somewhere," Teel said. "But the biggest goal right now is just continuing this friendship to where it'll be something we'll always have for the rest of our lives."
Before Carson Teel and Jon Littell were teammates on the Oklahoma State baseball team, their childhood basketball team provided must-see entertainment during the starting lineups. "When you're growing up, your starting lineups obviously didn't get introduced like in games here," Littell said with a laugh. "So we basically did that ourselves."
An important part of this introduction was when an adolescent Teel would play "We Ready," by Archie Eversole over the loud speaker.
"I'd bring my stereo," Teel said. "We had the song going, and we'd get in a little circle and we'd start swaying back and forth singing with the song. Looking back on it, it's probably one of the dumbest things we've ever done.""And Carson was always the ring leader of it," Littell added.
When Jim Littell accepted an associate head coaching position for the Oklahoma State women's basketball team in 2005, it did not take Jon long to find a best friend in his new hometown.
Teel recalls that the day Littell got to town, the two bonded in the gym playing basketball."We just hit it off right away," Littell said. "We just started playing pick up all the time, playing baseball in the backyard, whatever it was. We were just always competing and having fun."
The two remained close friends throughout their childhood. They shot around on the Gallagher-Iba Arena court after OSU women's basketball games and shot around in the famous arena all day long when the basketball teams were out of town.
Simply put, the two were inseparable – and loved every second of it."Those are some of the best memories that we have," Teel said. "Being together, doing the things we love to do and just having a great time doing it."
The two remained together as teammates on basketball and baseball teams growing up, but the ultimate dream was to "Play for Eddie," as Teel puts it, referring to legendary OSU basketball coach Eddie Sutton.
However, when Littell decided he wanted to play baseball in college, plans changed for Teel also.
"When Jon said he was focusing on baseball, he committed (to OSU), then after that, I was like, 'I still want to play with him in whatever we do,'" Teel said. "That changed the goal to wanting to come here and continue that dream in a different area of the game."
Success has been no stranger to Teel and Littell throughout their friendship. The tandem experienced winning a baseball state championship as seniors at Stillwater High School in 2014, and they both went to Omaha as Cowboys for the College World Series in 2016."It's like one of those things that you think will happen one of these days," Teel said. "That's something we're always going to look back on like, we did what we thought we were going to do."
Littell said competing at the highest level in both high school and college with one of his best childhood friends is a dream come true.
"The goal in high school is to win a state championship, and we were fortunate enough to do that together," Littell said. "Then in college the goal is to play for a national championship."Being able to do that with one of your best friends and a kid that you've grown up with, been through a lot of stuff with, it's pretty special."
Stillwater High graduate and Cowboy baseball head coach Josh Holliday said he feels an extra sense of pride in coaching these two Stillwater-bred players.
"I think it's a neat thing to see kids raised in this community that grow up falling in love with this university, wanting to represent it, and then when given the chance, do so with tremendous pride. Having lived that myself, I relate well to what they feel," said Holliday, who was a prep standout at SHS and a 14th-round pick in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft but turned down the invitation to go pro out of high school to play at OSU.Holliday said it's important that the community identify with the team and its players and to enjoy watching the team play, and Teel and Littell offer a unique opportunity in that regard.
"When you add some longtime familiarity with these two particular kids, that has to be a treat," Holliday said. "That little 12 year-old that they watched growing up, they're watching them at a different stage, and I think that brings people to the ballpark."
Their lockers sit side-by-side in the Allie P. Reynolds Stadium clubhouse, but Teel and Littell know their time together in Stillwater is winding down and they are intent on cherishing every moment – and creating even more special memories.
Littell's final season with the Cowboys begins today, and the pair is finally faced with thinking about what life will be like without being on the same team.
"What I want to do with Carson and I is just keep building our friendship," Littell said. "And obviously try to win a national championship."
Teel, who is a redshirt junior, said that ending up on the same professional team in the future would cap off the story of their relationship.
"One of these days we might end up back together playing on the same team somewhere," Teel said. "But the biggest goal right now is just continuing this friendship to where it'll be something we'll always have for the rest of our lives."
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