MY BASEBALL STORY

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My introduction to baseball was as a 10 year old. I played in the "minors" at Tavan Grade School. My first coach was Rudy Hoffa. An older guy, with no kids in the program, but he liked baseball and kids. For whatever reason, I was "hooked". Baseball was now my sport. Each summer was devoted to Little League. Except my 7th grade summer, I was playing catch with the hotshot pitcher in our school, just fooling around, and he threw me a curve...using two hands to catch, I got my right hand tooo close to the glove, and the ball hit my right index finger.........and ouch!!!!! I went to the doc the next day, and I had fractured it. Done for the year. So, my mom and I went back to Indiana (on the bus) to visit (another story).
My "dream" was to play on the Arcadia High Baseball team.
Try outs for the freshman team were in January in the evening. Because the varsity and jv teams held their tryouts during the day, and there was only 2 fields. It was freezing cold, there were 60 guys trying out, and I was out of my "comfort" zone. The next day when I read the cut sheet, my name was there. I was devastated. I played summer ball, and remember my coach, Mr. Holland, who said he was going to help me make the team next year. He was a great coach. So my soph year, I try out. The JV coach was my PE coach, so I figure I have an "in". Good news, I made the team. Bad News, I played sparingly, batted 14 times, and struck out 11 of those, with no hits. Summer ball, brought "B" Legion, another great coach, Mr. Wade, and good experience. My junior year, I try out for Varsity. I get cut, but have the option to play JV again, so I do. I started every game, and got lots of playing time. Summer ball, I am still playing "B" Legion with the same guys from last year, except those that moved up to "A" Legion. We won the league title, and I got to drive to far away Mesa, to play at Westwood, and eat hamburgers and fries at "Sandys" (Mignon's favorite HS hangout at Extension and University). Only she was long gone to BYU......
It's now my Senior year. I try out and make Varsity. Some of the guys are now into their 2nd year, they have played football and are the big guys on campus. But on a trip to Yuma, they pull some stunts, and get kicked off the team. So, I get moved from 3B to SS (shortstop). I have a fairly successful year, my name and picture show up in the Scottsdale Progress Newspaper, I am voted Baseball "MVP" and get a "trophy" at the awards banquet. My lifelong dream had materialized......
With that, Coach Schifino said he could get me a scholarship at Phoenix College JC, but I opted to go to ASU with Darrell Truitt and Dave Wood. We got an apartment at Lemon and Rural, big men going to college. I signed up for Baseball, and began try outs in the fall as a "walk on". I soon realized, I was out of "my league". One guy was just coming out of the Marines, another guy from Maryvale HS threw about 90mph, and ASU was just coming off last season from the CWS (champs??). I didn't have an exceptional showing, and was going through difficulties getting funding for school (my parents had moved back to IN), so I dropped out, I didn't even check the first cut list. I must not have made it, nobody ever came looking for me (ha, ha).
With that, a whole "nother" story begins.... months later, I went to my first Sacrament Meeting, played ball with the 18th Ward team and ..................
Things don't always work out like we plan, but "things" happen for a purpose.