I believe that I had mentioned before, that I played baseball for Penn State University. It was one of the happiest times in my life. I had many baseball assets in my youth, including speed, and a very strong right arm, which really helped me along in my career.
There's an old joke in baseball that says, “I'll be home tomorrow mom, they started throwing curve balls today.” I was a very good defensive player, but was what you would call a “streak” hitter. Sometimes, I would hit everything in sight and other times. I would be in a hitting slump.
When I was a college junior, I went into one of those slumps. I was a right-handed hitting first baseman, and the coach started to alternate me with a left-handed hitting first baseman. I played against left-handed pitchers, and he played against right-handed pitchers.
During my junior year, we played in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. It was one of the high points of my life, and I will always remember it. We finished third in the nation and lost to the National Champions, Oklahoma State, twice in a double elimination tournament. I played in several games but was still being platooned, playing only against left-handed pitchers.
In my senior year, I was still being platooned at first base, but early in the season started hitting everything in sight. Since I was a very good defensive player and could play many positions, I wanted to play somewhere, but still had to alternate playing first base.
I thought to myself that this was not the way to end my college career and that I needed to make something happen. The centerfielder was in a very bad hitting slump, and I thought to myself, now is the time.
When we were on road trips, we would stop to eat and the coach, Joe Bedenk, would quickly eat and then head back out to the bus, where he would sit in his usual front-row seat. The rest of the team would still be in the restaurant eating.
We were traveling to play Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and I decided that it was time to make my move. I skipped eating and hurriedly went back out to the bus. I went up to the coach and said to him. "If you want to get that job done in Centerfield, I'm the guy that can do it." He just looked at me and didn't say a word.
I figured that he would think about it and that one of two things would happen. He would just dismiss my idea, and nothing would happen or he would give me a chance, after I had practiced in the new position for a while.
Our coach was famous for calling people by different names. Our second baseman name was Larry Fegley, and I was the first baseman Larry Beighey, so we both were forever known as “Larry Begley.”
Imagine my total surprise, when before the game started the coach yelled "Begley, get out in Centerfield and shag some flies." I played Centerfield that day and played every game the rest of that season … Hitting over .325 and never sitting on the bench again.
Sometimes in life you just have to take advantage of an opportunity to make something happen. You can't just sit back and wait for it to happen, because many times it never will. You have to make it happen.
There's an old joke in baseball that says, “I'll be home tomorrow mom, they started throwing curve balls today.” I was a very good defensive player, but was what you would call a “streak” hitter. Sometimes, I would hit everything in sight and other times. I would be in a hitting slump.
When I was a college junior, I went into one of those slumps. I was a right-handed hitting first baseman, and the coach started to alternate me with a left-handed hitting first baseman. I played against left-handed pitchers, and he played against right-handed pitchers.
During my junior year, we played in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. It was one of the high points of my life, and I will always remember it. We finished third in the nation and lost to the National Champions, Oklahoma State, twice in a double elimination tournament. I played in several games but was still being platooned, playing only against left-handed pitchers.
In my senior year, I was still being platooned at first base, but early in the season started hitting everything in sight. Since I was a very good defensive player and could play many positions, I wanted to play somewhere, but still had to alternate playing first base.
I thought to myself that this was not the way to end my college career and that I needed to make something happen. The centerfielder was in a very bad hitting slump, and I thought to myself, now is the time.
When we were on road trips, we would stop to eat and the coach, Joe Bedenk, would quickly eat and then head back out to the bus, where he would sit in his usual front-row seat. The rest of the team would still be in the restaurant eating.
We were traveling to play Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and I decided that it was time to make my move. I skipped eating and hurriedly went back out to the bus. I went up to the coach and said to him. "If you want to get that job done in Centerfield, I'm the guy that can do it." He just looked at me and didn't say a word.
I figured that he would think about it and that one of two things would happen. He would just dismiss my idea, and nothing would happen or he would give me a chance, after I had practiced in the new position for a while.
Our coach was famous for calling people by different names. Our second baseman name was Larry Fegley, and I was the first baseman Larry Beighey, so we both were forever known as “Larry Begley.”
Imagine my total surprise, when before the game started the coach yelled "Begley, get out in Centerfield and shag some flies." I played Centerfield that day and played every game the rest of that season … Hitting over .325 and never sitting on the bench again.
Sometimes in life you just have to take advantage of an opportunity to make something happen. You can't just sit back and wait for it to happen, because many times it never will. You have to make it happen.
I love that story Begley!! I've also been there-done that!!
ReplyDeleteMike