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I'm in Burlington today for an @EastCoastPro1 tryout. Feeling nostalgic the day after the MiLB season was officially canceled. Bear with me for a moment...
This is essentially where I got my start in baseball. I went to Elon, about 10 minutes from this spot. It was there that I took a course called Sports Business & Entertainment. One day, Miles Wolff and Mark Cryan visited our class.
I was a @BaseballAmerica reader and knew Wolff was previously the publisher. I was a journalism major and wanted to work there. Badly. But he told me he wasn't really involved anymore.
But I got to talking with Mark Cryan, the Burlington Indians GM at the time. I gave him my resume and started working for him almost immediately.
Odd jobs to get the stadium ready mostly. But I also wrote articles.for the program and updated the design and layout some (Another story in itself. Thought I was gonna get fired
).
).
Summer came around and it was a grind. Anyone that works/worked in MiLB knows. But I had fun, learned a lot and worked my ass off.
One day, @johnmanuelNC came to a game and Mark told him, "I've got this kid, he won't shut up about your magazine, but he works hard. Have lunch with him." John obliged after the season and I worked as an intern throughout my senior year. After I graduated, I was hired full-time.
It takes a special kind of person to work in MiLB, especially short season where the staff is much smaller with the same amount of responsibility. I'm not sure I could've done it long term. But that summer is a big reason I am where I am today.
I feel for everyone that had the season taken away. There will be lasting effects on everyone, and this crisis is bigger than baseball. I can only hope it doesn't steer anyone's path out of baseball. At least not against their will. Keep grinding and I'll see you at the ballpark.
