For baseball enthusiasts that has meaning.
It stands for "Hit By Pitch." Something that hitters take pride in and pitchers are ashamed of.
Currently I am reading "The Brothers K." A book mainly about family, religion, life, and baseball. Recently I was reading a section where the main character was talking about his dad (a pitching phenom) and one of the first times he remembered seeing his dad plunk someone. He went on to describe how painful it can be for the hitter, etc.
This sparked my thoughts and made me think of one of the most ridiculous, but yet unbelievably respectful and unforgettable thing my brother Jeff has ever, and will ever, do. To premise this story I will say that HBP's were something that Jeff was always a team leader in and always took extreme pride in.
My senior year of high school of baseball Jeff was an assistant coach. After about the first week of games he noticed something about all of our hitters. We were jumping out of the way of possible HBP's. One random practice he gathered the entire team at home plate and sent one of our hardest throwing pitchers to the mound and our catcher to the plate. He told the pitcher to throw at him. Not a person there knew what he was doing and wondered if he was possibly insane (which I'm pretty sure he is). He went on to describe to us that there is an easy way to get hit, etc, etc. The pitcher, reluctantly, threw a pitch right at him. Jeff turned his shoulder, arched his back, and took it right in between the shoulder blades. The entire team grimaced and couldn't believe what they were seeing. After the crowd settled he had the pitcher do it again, and once more after that.
After that day, no one on the team ducked or jumped out of the way of an inside pitch again. And I can guarantee that everyone on that team remembers that moment just as vividly as I do. Understandably so.
Cheers to you, Jeff.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Welcome to Real Life
Well the past few weeks I received a full dose of real life.
Real life where people don't necessarily care about you. Real life where business decisions need to be made. Real life where hit and runs happen. Real life where life can take a 180 degree turn at any second. Real life where 20 teenagers have been shot and killed in the city since the beginning of the year. Real life where just under 50% of African American teens have STD's.
For those of you who know me understand that one of my flaws is that I focus on the negative. Just to let you know, I'm getting better. I don't mean to give you all that bad news but thats what is on my mind right now.
Also, for those of you who know me probably already know I was laid off about 2 weeks ago. Myself and about 5 others. I will spare you of details but I obviously think I was given a raw deal but understand that sometimes things need to happen. It's a bit humbling. It took me two weeks to even think about putting this on my blog. But hey, it happened and I can't do anything about it (can you believe those words came from me). I never knew things we're out of my control!!!! ha, just kidding.
The other things that I mentioned earlier were fresh on my mind because of a church service I was at this weekend. It was at St. Sabina. A largely popular church on Chicago's south side with a very controversial pastor that, much to my chagrin, definitely DIDN'T separate church and state. This pastor is very involved with attempting to cut down crime in Chicago (possible??). He shot out some statistics that seem crazy. 20 teenagers have been shot dead already this year in the city alone!!!!!!! WHAT??? Also, almost half of teenage African American teens have STD's. Ridiculous. Where are we failing? Parents, schools? I blame parents first.
Some other news: Katie and I are moving to San Diego. Don't know when, not sure how, do know why, not exactly sure where. But, we're going. Katie was accepted into grad school. Needless to say, I am looking for jobs. I need a job. Housing prices>My Income. The sad part about me being "let go" is that I enjoyed what I was doing. I think my ideal job out in Cali would be leasing apartments for an up-scale apartment community. However, I am an open book. I am open to anything.
6...................Can anyone guess what that number is??? I bet you wouldn't guess "number of jobs Mark has had in Chicago in a matter of 6 months." Yeah, thats right, I am now going on my sixth job since moving to Chicago:
1: NCSA-Scouting/recruiting job.
2: The Homestead Group-Leasing apartments.
3: The Enterprise Companies-Part-time leasing.
4: WALKING DOGS!!!
5:Amundson High School- Assistant Varsity Softball Coach. Don't ask......
6: Wills- Bartending.
The last four I am doing all at once.
-Mark
Real life where people don't necessarily care about you. Real life where business decisions need to be made. Real life where hit and runs happen. Real life where life can take a 180 degree turn at any second. Real life where 20 teenagers have been shot and killed in the city since the beginning of the year. Real life where just under 50% of African American teens have STD's.
For those of you who know me understand that one of my flaws is that I focus on the negative. Just to let you know, I'm getting better. I don't mean to give you all that bad news but thats what is on my mind right now.
Also, for those of you who know me probably already know I was laid off about 2 weeks ago. Myself and about 5 others. I will spare you of details but I obviously think I was given a raw deal but understand that sometimes things need to happen. It's a bit humbling. It took me two weeks to even think about putting this on my blog. But hey, it happened and I can't do anything about it (can you believe those words came from me). I never knew things we're out of my control!!!! ha, just kidding.
The other things that I mentioned earlier were fresh on my mind because of a church service I was at this weekend. It was at St. Sabina. A largely popular church on Chicago's south side with a very controversial pastor that, much to my chagrin, definitely DIDN'T separate church and state. This pastor is very involved with attempting to cut down crime in Chicago (possible??). He shot out some statistics that seem crazy. 20 teenagers have been shot dead already this year in the city alone!!!!!!! WHAT??? Also, almost half of teenage African American teens have STD's. Ridiculous. Where are we failing? Parents, schools? I blame parents first.
Some other news: Katie and I are moving to San Diego. Don't know when, not sure how, do know why, not exactly sure where. But, we're going. Katie was accepted into grad school. Needless to say, I am looking for jobs. I need a job. Housing prices>My Income. The sad part about me being "let go" is that I enjoyed what I was doing. I think my ideal job out in Cali would be leasing apartments for an up-scale apartment community. However, I am an open book. I am open to anything.
6...................Can anyone guess what that number is??? I bet you wouldn't guess "number of jobs Mark has had in Chicago in a matter of 6 months." Yeah, thats right, I am now going on my sixth job since moving to Chicago:
1: NCSA-Scouting/recruiting job.
2: The Homestead Group-Leasing apartments.
3: The Enterprise Companies-Part-time leasing.
4: WALKING DOGS!!!
5:Amundson High School- Assistant Varsity Softball Coach. Don't ask......
6: Wills- Bartending.
The last four I am doing all at once.
-Mark
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)