It’s a cold and rainy early April day. It’s the kind of day that makes one not mind spending the day inside.
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Tag: Success
A Best Baseball Book of 2023!
I am very happy to announce that FROM COMPTON TO THE BRONX, Roy White’s autobiography (that I wrote with him) was just listed as one of the BEST BASEBALL BOOKS of 2023 in Sports Collector’s Digest.
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91.6
Eleven twelfths.
One to go.
91.6% through what seemed, at times, and often, like a never-ending task.
***
I once thought that it might be fun to run every single day for an entire calendar year.
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The Power of Hard Work
Note: This piece was inspired by a quote found in the book The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II. I originally shared this passage with my teaching staff.
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The Power of Hard Work:
“I would not go through Pre-Flight (training) again for a million dollars, but I would not trade the experience for ten million.” Ed McMahon
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Think about the biggest accomplishments in your life.
No, no, no. Stop reading and think about them. This passage will still be here when you’re done.
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My Field of Dreams (Cooperstown, NY)
(I also published this story on my Yankees site: Start Spreading the News as part of the series “One Last Shot” as I document my return to playing baseball after 34 years away from the game as a player.)
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How often have I dreamed of playing baseball professionally?
I don’t know… it probably hasn’t been every day of my life, but it’s been most days and probably multiple times on most days.
Oh, who am I kidding. It’s ALL I think about!
As of the writing of this post, I have been alive about 19,400 days.
That’s a lot of dreaming.
***
Before August 11, 2021, I had never played baseball on a field other than a recreation or high school field.
I never played in a real ballpark or in a stadium.
But, on August 11, the dream, came true, at least a little.
On August 11, I arrived in Cooperstown, New York.
On August 11, I pitched, in a tournament game, on Doubleday Field, in Cooperstown, New York.
As the Yankees prepared to play on the Field of Dreams in Iowa, I played on a field of dreams of my own in baseball’s most special village.
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One Last Shot – Season 3, Post 1: This Time It’s For Real
(This post can also be found on my Yankees blog Start Spreading the News.)
January 2021
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This time it’s for real!
…or so I tell myself.
Yes. For goodness sake, this time it is for real.
This coming season, the 2021 season, will be mine. This will be my chance to shine. To pitch well. To win. Often.
And I have a plan to make sure it happens.
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Chronicle of a Comeback (vol. 33) – Last Article In Series
Today is January 8, 2021.
Exactly one year ago today, I walked into the surgery center to meet Dr. Braver for him to perform surgery on my right Achilles tendon. As I walked in, I said to the receptionist at the counter, “I am here to begin my training for the 2020 New York City Marathon.” She smiled and said, “You must be Mr. Semendinger.”
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Chronicle of a Comeback (vol. 30) – A GREAT RUN!
“Scattering the Ashes” is an Award Winner!
Chronicle of a Comeback (vol. 29) – Continued Progress
Well, I needed that.
It’s good to be back. Again.
After my five consecutive days of three-mile runs, two weeks ago, the next week, I set out to do four consecutive days of four-mile runs.
Continue reading “Chronicle of a Comeback (vol. 29) – Continued Progress”
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