Baseball bat

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. I had always been afraid to try new things, yet when I did all I wanted to do was to experience more of them. For me, leaning how to pitch was one of the best experiences I have ever tried. I took something which I thought was going to be terrifying and turned it into a wonderful achievement of mine. Although I had always found pitching very compulsive I would always try to avoid it.…

Sometimes the umpires may call against you in a close call, but you can’t let affect your playing. It may be a tied game in the last innings and you’re up to bat, you are gonna want a fastball straight down the middle. The pitcher is most likely not gonna pitch a fastball, especially down the middle. You could expect the other team to miss the ball, but instead they catch the ball and get you out. You could…

It’s that time of year, the leaves are starting to turn and the weather is still scorching hot outside. Fall has finally arrived and I’m back at school for another semester. Fall baseball has just begun and it’s time for the first scrimmage. I walk out of the locker room and put my hands over my laces, and step out on the concrete and hear that first crack of the spike hitting the ground. I head to the best spot on the field the third base dugout. The field looks great the grass is cut with a…

Growing up in the upper-middle class allows you to live a comfortable lifestyle. My parents always provided our family with what we needed and always had extra to help those in need. Giving money to organizations or people is fantastic, but physically helping someone in need goes a lot farther. In early January, 2014, my dad came up to my room late one night and told me about something that he had been thinking about. I remember exactly what he said to me, “Hey Austin, I have been praying and…

Although, doing the best you can is important, I would not consider it to be the main purpose of sports. According to Joan Duda, the purpose of sport is broken down into seven categories: “sport should (a) teach the value of mastery and cooperation, (b) show people how to be physically active for life, (c) make good citizens, (d) make people competitive, (e) help individuals obtain a high status career, (f) enhance self-esteem, (g) show people how to get ahead and increase their social status”…

I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and I am the second child out of my siblings. I have an older brother, younger sister, and younger brother. We were all born in Indiana, but six months after my younger brother was born, we moved to Illinois. My father got a better job and we stayed in Illinois and lived there for six years. That is where I spent most of my childhood and finished growing up here in The Woodlands, Texas. I had made many great memories in Illinois. It was a fantastic place to…

Swinging the bat slowly in the September sun thinking about the motions of hitting the ball. The day seemed perfect enough for the day I had been waiting for for two years, getting my first home run. I always doubted myself when it came to something big. Usually I worked better if I had something to work towards, but what? The heat was reflecting off the field onto the players The day seemed perfect enough to be the day I had been waiting for for two years, getting my first home run. I always…

ally is someone who is a good influence and helps you learn the right kinds of lessons. Derek, my trainer is my ally because I have learned from his teachings about work ethic and he has also helped me upgrade the health of my arm. Last year during baseball I almost tore my rotator cuff and my magnificent doctor had me visit him. I was very blessed to be able to work with Derek because he acquired my arm health back and even increased my arm velocity. I improved from 70 mph when I was 12 to 77…

It is said that history repeats itself. To a variety of cultures sport has held similar meanings, during different historical periods. Today, sport is often referred to as just a game, but not many of us have dealt with obstacles of being an immigrant in America. Yep (2009) described how a playground in Chinatown San Francisco affected the Chinese immigrant community. The playground provided recognition, a sense of community and a sense of cultural pride to the Chinese immigrants. With the…

dad would probably be too tired to play catch after he gets home from work. Then, I thought it would be a good idea to see if Jules wanted to play catch with me. I then go upstairs to her room and I ask, “Hey Jules do you want to play catch with a baseball?” “Sure I will be right out,” she tells me. Afterward, I go outside and wait for Jules to come out. It ended up taking her fifteen minutes to get ready and…