Short's long journey pays off
Joe Lanane
Issue date: 6/16/05 Section: Opinion
|
Former Leatherneck infielder Rick Short was one of those athletes.
After his graduation from Western Illinois University in 1994, he was drafted in the 33rd round by the Baltimore Orioles. Since then, Short has been a journeyman around the minor league baseball system. He has even traveled overseas for a season to play in the Japanese baseball system.
For those who might automatically assume Short is just another wash-up trying to make it big, they may not realize he has played in over 1,000 minor league ballgames, hitting for more than 500 RBIs while holding a career batting average of over .300.
After starting his first 12 seasons on the outside looking in, the Western alumnus finally received his opportunity last Thursday night as a member of the Washington Nationals.
Short got the call to pack his stuff last Wednesday, prompting a slew of emotions among his family - all of which was captured in a recent Washington Post article. Reading the experience in writing would be enough to make even the toughest sports' enthusiast shed a tear.
The real drama came in Short's only at-bat of the night. The infielder overcame a 0-2 count at the plate to rock an RBI single in what would prove to be his only time hitting as a major league baseball player.
Just two days later, Short was called back down to triple-A New Orleans. At 32 years old, this will likely be the only time the Leatherneck grad will play in a major league ballpark.
Fortunately, Short's determination has not gone unnoticed. After his RBI single last Thursday in Washington D.C., fans greeted Short to a respectable ovation as he returned to the dugout.