From FedEx Driver to MLB Pitcher
Plus: former "draft bust" gets called up, small school studs, and more.
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Trivia Question of the Week (submitted by Jackson K.)
Tigers pitcher Joel Zumaya once missed 3 games after hurting himself doing what?
A) Wrestling his dog
B) Falling off a trampoline
C) Playing Guitar Hero
D) Crashing his Razor scooter
The answer will be revealed at the end of this email! Look for the ⭐ emoji.
How $50 in Birthday Money Saved an MLB Career
Ben Zobrist was undrafted, unrecruited, and drew zero interest from college scouts.
After graduating high school, he thought he'd hung up the cleats for the last time.
"I was done with baseball...I had nothing else to think about."
Then his high school coach called.
There was a summer showcase hosted by small colleges looking to fill roster spots. It cost $50 to register.
Luckily, Zobrist had just turned 19 & had some birthday money saved up.
"One more day of baseball." That's what he thought.
But Zobrist's performance at the showcase caught the attention of coaches at Olivet Nazarene University – an NAIA school in Illinois.
They gave him an offer & he accepted.
More baseball.
He took the opportunity and ran with it.
Fast forward to 2020:
Ben Zobrist retires a 3x MLB All-Star & 2x World Series Champion. A prototypical late bloomer, he made it a lot further than anyone thought he would.
"I hate seeing these kids that can't play travel ball cause they're not good enough at the age of 13, 14, 15, and then giving up on the game because they don't think it's ever gonna take them anywhere."
"You never know what could happen. You could develop into a great player."
SOURCE: MLB Players Media
🗞️ More Inspiring Stories
He went from FedEx delivery driver to MLB pitcher. This is the incredible story of Jose Cuas. [Joker Mag]
Zach Hunzinger is a 4-time cancer survivor who's found inspiration in the journey of world-famous bodybuilder Chris Bumstead. Zach shared his experience, bringing new meaning to "never quit" in this moving video. [Chris Bumstead on YouTube]
Given just a 3% chance to live at 10 months old, Dayton Webber beat the odds on his way to becoming a professional cornhole player. [NBC 12 News]
Catcher Gabriel Moreno was forced out of the sport at 8 years old because his family couldn't afford to keep him in organized baseball. This month, the Blue Jays’ #1 prospect got called up to the big leagues. [MLB.com]
This woman was told she’d never walk again. Now she’s celebrating her first pro boxing championship victory. [The Argus]
While it doesn’t get close to the same attention as the NCAA, the NAIA has produced quite a bit of MLB talent. [Joker Mag]
After being called the “biggest bust in MLB Draft history”, former #1 overall pick Mark Appel got his long-awaited call-up to the Philadelphia Phillies. [MLB.com]
🔆 Amateur Spotlight
De Pere (Wisconsin) sophomore Easton Arendt was born with only seven fingers total – 2 on his left and 5 on his right.
“Early on I would think to myself having this disability, I wouldn’t be able to do the things other people can,” Easton recalled.
“Then I got the mindset of working twice as hard as everybody else on the field or in any sport that I’m playing.”
The sophomore pitcher was dominant in his first year of varsity baseball – pitching a complete game with 12 K’s in a May start.
“I want to make kids that may have the same effect or something a little bit different to know that they can succeed,” Easton said.
SOURCE: Kyle Malzhan / WFRV Local 5
Do you know a youth, high school, or college athlete who has overcome the odds? Reply to this email to submit their story to be featured in a future Amateur Spotlight.
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💪 The Underdog Mentality
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⭐ Trivia Answer:
C) Playing Guitar Hero
Wanna submit a trivia question, fun fact, or interesting tidbit for our next newsletter? Reply to this email.
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Til next time,
Tyler