A Story That Keeps Me Going

The kid was captain of his school’s baseball team, his senior year he was voted MVP and earned All-State honors. After graduation, he went off to Michigan State University where his older brother was eagerly waiting with a beer and a mischievous grin. For a year, he tried doing the regular college thing, even got involved with club baseball, but things really weren't panning out the way he wanted them too.

At the beginning of his sophomore year at Michigan State, in my opinion, he made a real gusty move, and showed up to walk-on tryouts... after only one day of try-outs, the coaches notified all the walk-on's that they needed to walk-off - that was that.

Here is where the story gets interesting.

He never gave up. The kid transferred schools and moved back home. I do not know many kids that would leave Michigan State and head back to live with mom and dad while enrolling in a local community college - but he did it. He got a job, went to class, and hit the weight room.

After months of schools not being interested and coaches not returning calls - most people would have just given up.

But he kept fighting.

This week he was called into the athletic office at Madonna University where the coach sat him down and told him that this upcoming season he would be catching pop-ups, stretching a single into two, and spitting sunflower seeds onto a dugout floor while wearing a uniform with Madonna written across it.

I have the absolute privilege of saying that it was my little brother who walked into the coach’s office and was offered a spot on the team.

Not too many athletes can take two plus years off of a sport and then be invited to come play for a University. All natural talent aside, who cares if when standing side-by-side my 'little' brother makes me look like a scrawny child - it takes a lot more than natural ability to do what he did! He had the motivation to leave school, move home, and start over from scratch. He had the drive to hit the weight room for months on end with only the hope of playing ball again. And most importantly, he had the courage to walk onto the diamond with other ballplayers after a two year stint away from the game, and play ball.

To be completely honest, I would not have been able to do that.

He is my only brother, my best friend, and regardless of what that coach had told him when he was invited into the office that day - for having the courage to take that risk - he is a role model and one of my greatest motivators.

Unfortunately, I may not have the chance to see him play, if you have the chance to get down to the Livonia area during baseball season, go watch a few innings for me - and when you are there, look for the Madonna player with determination in his eyes and tell him that his older brother is proud of him.



Billy Leddy
Senior Year of High School Pic