Power Pros Forum

My Baseball Story a trip down memory lane....

My high school had some strange ways to earn letters in baseball. Being on the team did not ensure a letter for your letterman's jacket. Averaging 2.5 steals a game was the only way I was going to come close to earning a letter... That year I batted .191 and fielded like .700 which were both way too low. I busted my butt in practice and had a knack for getting on base and scoring runs. To be honest I was always one of the slower players on my teams but during my high school career I stole just under 100 bases and was thrown out only 4 times. I learned to read pitchers movements in order to get a good jump, how to do different slides, and to read the eyes of the people covering the bases so I knew where to slide to avoid tags. (They needed to look at the ball in order to catch it so slide accordingly)

Well it was my Junior year and I needed to steal 7 bases the last game in order to letter. As the game's end drew near I found myself on 3rd base with 6 steals. I knew this was my last chance so I decided I was going to try to swipe home plate. I asked the coach if I could go for it and he said, "No!" My face went red, coach had always been big on teaching us sportsmanship. I didn't care though, I wanted my letter!

So I start getting really antsy because I always tried to do exactly what my coaches said, and what I was thinking about doing was outright defiance. Even before the catcher got done giving signs I took off for home. I must have been out of my mind for several reasons but right now it was because my team mate who was up to bat was a free swinging slugger. Fortunately he caught me running from the corner of his eye and backed up slightly in the box letting a strike go by. The next moment was like slow motion... I beat the tag and was called safe! I actually didn't even slide at home but rather leaped forward to get there as fast as possible.

What ensued was a two minute victory celebration. I started doing some stupid rapid running choppy step shuffle, then started pumping my arms like Kirk Gibson in the 88 world series, and was then was mobbed by my teammates like I had just hit the game winning home run! Unfortunately we were the visiting team and they still had their last at bats. The game ended unceremoniously a half an inning later. I didn't see it but, on the bus ride home, my coach let me know that the opposing teams coach refused to shake his hand. I guess the other teams coach felt my stealing home and celebrating like I did was rubbing it in their faces.

To be fair I suppose the fact we were winning the game 15-2 at the top of the last inning, before I even stole home, had something to do with the other coaches irritation...

It's not good to go through a no or signs.... It's important to have sportsmanship.....

Ha yeah it is but I guess that could depend on the situation. I doubt the other team felt the way their coach did. He was probably more embarrassed about the poor play of his team and that was the icing. But it's pretty hard to be considered to be running up the score in a baseball game. I remember a Boston v Toronto game where the Jays scored ten runs in the first inning only to lose 11 to 10 to the Red Sox.

What really is not cool is for someone to set up a thread based on lies and manipulation like someone did concerning the Gyro pitch... Who was that? Oh wait. Hmm... Yeah your name SN sounds familiar...

Running through a sign is open and in your face. I did not hide anything nor deceive anyone. That guy wasting everyone's time pretending he knew how to get the gyro then trying to act like it was no big deal when he was found to be nothing but a liar was pathetic. That guy has some serious issues that need working out... Yeah that guy... But since it wasn't you... Thanks for the reply. No story of your own though?

My friend and I once wore our underwear backwards for a game as a superstitious baseball charm and he went 3 for 3 with a walk and I went 2 for 4. We didn't like the thong/wedgie feel so we never did it again and besides we lost that particular game.

My little league story down Memory Lane

My little league career started in the Spring of 2008. Was not very good at first. My stats before:
TRJ CON POW RUNSPD FLD ERES THROW
1 E F G G G G

I was in a huge slump at first, but I began improving fast.
2 games before the season was over, I got a double play fielding as well as a 2 RBI single and a stolen base. I even won the game ball!!! WOOOOO!!!!!
Final attributes:
TRJ CON POW RUNSPD THROW FLD ERES
3 A B F E D C

I played little league. It is where I lived during the summer. I was always at the ball park. I didn't get started until I was 10, but I was quick, so I didn't necessarily need to hit with power or have the best contact because I always seem to beat out the throws. Well during my 12 year old season, I didn't make our city's all-star team. I was told by many that I should have, but you know how those popularity contests go. During the all-stars (the games that eventually lead up to the little league world series) my city's team went up against another that stuck out all but one player on our team. Needless to say we didn't go anywhere.

Later that summer, my stepfather recruited players from around the county from the all-star teams to create an all county team to player in some tourneys around the southern part of the state. Basically, it was about 5 players, not from my home city, that could pitch and catch. One being the pitcher that struck out so many during the game mentioned above. He was about a foot taller than I was. Well, I didn't get to play much, and finished 2nd in one tourney, and 1st in another after finally figuring out how to play together. I played 2nd base at the time.

Well, I got alot faster and stronger and started to grow. I moved to outfield, where I became a dominant center fielder. If you hit it anywhere close to me at all it was caught. I would even catch balls in left and right sometimes. Also, you remember how much the field grew going from 12 year old to 13 year old little league baseball. Well, by the time I turned 15, I made the all-star team and guess who we went up against. The same players that were so dominant against us when we were 12. Well, we beat them pretty handily. I was like 4-4 for the game with 3 or 4 stolen bases.

Now, the memory: I was standing on third base during the game, and the guy that used to be a foot taller than me, I towered over now! It was a great feeling!

Very cool story.

You came face to face with competition that at the time dwarfed you but you kept playing. In time you dwarfed the competition, but it was because you never stopped playing that you were able to succeed the way you did. To me that's the sign of a winner. It's those that stop playing the game that never reach their potential. You can't always be the best but you can always be a winner. Sometimes it's the journey that means the most...

Thanks for sharing!

Sportsmanship had nothing to do with what I did.

Everyone just leave DrMario alone! Why do you need to keep bringing it up!?!?!

Thanks lance. Didn't Max say he was going to start getting people in trouble if they kept bringing it up?

I will eventually think of a story....

An 11 page topic of lies won't be forgotten easily.

Yes but he has said he's sorry and he helped find the Gyroball for real. And it has nothing to do with this topic anyhow.

No but I think max did say he was going to start warning people if they kept bringing it up as said above.


Here's one of my stories:

It was during freshman ball, we were down 1-0 in the bot of 7th with 1 out, and a runner at 3rd, I was just trying to muscle the ball deep enough to drive in the run, so with a 1-2 count, I swing and miss but the catcher missed the ball and I ran to first, now this catcher had a good arm but not very fast, when you got the ball, he didn't relize you wouldn't get me (to fast) and I guess he panicked and threw the ball away and the run scored and I ended up at 2nd, next was an RBI single and I got the winning run.

I had a no-run 3 hitter going through 4 innings when i was 12, when the coach took me out. The next kid gave up 2 runs in the 5th, and got 2 outs in the 6th, but the next kid hit a triple. He walked the next kid, Then the next batter drove the ball up the middle which out shortstop dove and caught and tug 2nd to end the game.

therisingsun, I'm curious, did your coach make you run a lot for doing that or anything? Maybe it's just me, but I would probably of been like well since you like to run you can go run for the whole practice(or something along those lines). Not anything personal, but that's just how I would've handled it. But did your coach only talk to you about it, or did he punish you?

I read a book that is similar to your story, only a couple parts, like the striking out evryone.