There was a point in my career, early on in fact, when I wanted to become a pro baseball player. I had the arm, the lateral quickness, the headiness to track the ball. But like many 2nd graders, I had trouble with the curve.
It wasn't always doom and gloom, at one point I was considered a hot prospect. While others were picking flowers, or their noses, I was out there running after the ball, scooping it up and throwing it to 1st base for the out. As long as the kid standing there was paying attention, it usually worked. My coaches praised my athleticism and said I was the best 2nd grader they'd ever seen come out of Fertile in quite some time. I soaked it in; I loved it.
That all changed when my team faced the team a couple towns over in Bemidji. They had this starting pitcher there that had already mastered the curveball. I'll never forget it; it's the day my career ended. I went up against the BSN Bulldog pitch machine, the ball would drop sharply as soon as it reached home plate. Everybody kept calling it a malfunction, but my coach knew better. He told me, "Son, now that's a wicked curve if I ever did see one. Go hit it."
I swung, swung, swung again. Three strikes, I'm out. Coach comes over and says "Son, maybe baseball isn't your sport. Go put on some pads and join the football team."
That was the day my whole career changed direction.
It wasn't always doom and gloom, at one point I was considered a hot prospect. While others were picking flowers, or their noses, I was out there running after the ball, scooping it up and throwing it to 1st base for the out. As long as the kid standing there was paying attention, it usually worked. My coaches praised my athleticism and said I was the best 2nd grader they'd ever seen come out of Fertile in quite some time. I soaked it in; I loved it.
That all changed when my team faced the team a couple towns over in Bemidji. They had this starting pitcher there that had already mastered the curveball. I'll never forget it; it's the day my career ended. I went up against the BSN Bulldog pitch machine, the ball would drop sharply as soon as it reached home plate. Everybody kept calling it a malfunction, but my coach knew better. He told me, "Son, now that's a wicked curve if I ever did see one. Go hit it."
I swung, swung, swung again. Three strikes, I'm out. Coach comes over and says "Son, maybe baseball isn't your sport. Go put on some pads and join the football team."
That was the day my whole career changed direction.
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