© 2014 Free Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved.

Brad Herzog

“As shown by the wonderful stories in Count on Me: Sports, athletics can not only reveal character, but also inspire it.”—Shannon Miller, two-time Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics

“The true tales in Brad Herzog’s books show how the games we play can teach seriously important life lessons.”—Jake Delhomme, former Super Bowl quarterback for the Carolina Panthers

Powerful Stories of PERSEVERANCE

in sports

couNT on me


Copyright © 2014 by Brad Herzog

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Unless otherwise noted, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations or critical reviews. For more information, go to www.freespirit.com/company/permissions.cfm.

Free Spirit, Free Spirit Publishing, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Free Spirit Publishing Inc. A complete listing of our logos and trademarks is available at www.freespirit.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataHerzog, Brad. Powerful stories of perseverance in sports / Brad Herzog. pages cm — (Count on me: sports) ISBN 978-1-57542-456-9 (paperback) — ISBN 1-57542-456-8 1. Athletes—Conduct of life—Juvenile literature. 2. Athletes—Biography—Juvenile literature. 3. Sportsmanship—Juvenile literature. 4. Character—Juvenile literature. I. Title. GV697.A1H3966 2014 796.092'2—dc23 2013049152eBook ISBN: 978-1-57542-599-3

Free Spirit Publishing does not have control over or assume responsibility for author or third-party websites and their content.

Reading Level Grade 5; Interest Level Ages 8–13;Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level V

Edited by Alison BehnkeCover and interior design by Michelle Lee Lagerroos

Cover photo credits: background © Bruxov|Dreamstime.com; clockwise from top left: AP Photo/Scott A. Miller; Cal Sports Media via AP Images; AP Photo/Kevin Larkin; AP Photo/Damen Jackson via Triple Play New Media; Press Association via AP Images; AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens. For interior photo credits, see page 102.

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DedicationFor Judy Mozersky, who continues to persevere and inspire.

AcknowledgmentsThank you to Judy Galbraith, Margie Lisovskis, and the rest of the crew at Free Spirit Publishing for having the courage to pursue a series of books celebrating stories of character in sports. I found Alison Behnke to be both insightful and inclusive as an editor, an author’s dream combination, and Michelle Lee Lagerroos put in overtime making sure the designs were just right. Finally, I am grateful to Aimee Jackson for bringing me to Free Spirit in the first place and for her unwavering support and friendship.


INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 1

UNHITTABLE...................................................................................5Baseball ● New York, New York, United States ● 1993When life throws a pitcher a curveball, he tosses a no-hitter.

BEAUTY IN MOTION .......................................................................9Track and Field ● Rome, Italy ● 1960A young woman overcomes a tough start to become a track superstar.

HEART OF A WINNER ................................................................... 15

Golf ● Leon, Mexico ● 2011Two organ transplants don’t stop a golfer from achieving his dreams.

DECIDING TO SOAR ..................................................................... 19

Fencing ● West Peabody, Massachusetts, United States ● 1976With the help of self-belief and a sword, a girl discovers her potential.

THE FIGHT OF HIS LIFE .................................................................23

Boxing ● Los Angeles, California, United States ● 2011A boxer’s biggest bout is the fight for his reputation.

CONTENTS

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RELENTLESS RACER .....................................................................27

Handcycling ● London, England ● 2012One man could have let a horrific accident end his racing career. Instead, he simply changed his course.

CHANNELING STRENGTH ............................................................. 31

Swimming ● English Channel ● 1926A long-distance swimmer who refuses to quit becomes “Queen of the Waves.”

MOVING FORWARD .................................................................... 37

Basketball ● Bristol, Connecticut, United States ● 2011A top basketball player takes on her most challenging opponent.

EYES ON THE PRIZE ..................................................................... 40

Distance Running ● Sydney, Australia ● 2000Being legally blind won’t keep this runner from competing.

C IS FOR COMEBACK .................................................................. 46

Basketball ● Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States ● 2012A college basketball player returns to make a very big point.

“JUST SKATE” .............................................................................. 51

Speed Skating ● Lillehammer, Norway ● 1994 A speed skater has one last chance to turn heartbreak into heroics.


ON TARGET ...................................................................................55

Archery ● Massa-Carrara, Italy ● 2005An unexpected new challenge doesn’t stop a world-class archer from aiming to be the best.

CONQUERING A CONTINENT .......................................................59

Cross-Country Skiing ● Antarctica ● 2012One woman challenges herself in the most unforgiving place on Earth.

THE MATCH THAT WOULDN’T END ..............................................63

Tennis ● Wimbledon, England ● 2010Two men compete like champions in the longest match in pro tennis history.

FINISHING TOUCH .......................................................................69

Track and Field ● Barcelona, Spain ● 1992Sometimes finishing a race last is the most impressive feat of all.

HARD TO TAKE DOWN ................................................................ 73

Wrestling ● Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States ● 2011Perfection is within reach for a wrestler born with one leg.

FACE TIME ................................................................................... 77

Wheelchair Basketball ● New Brighton, Minnesota, United States ● 2010An athlete in a wheelchair rolls into the pages of Sports Illustrated.


LITTLE GIANT ...............................................................................83

Figure Skating ● Sarajevo, Yugoslavia ● 1984Illnesses keep threatening to bring down a figure skater, but he always rises up again.

TECH TRIUMPH ........................................................................... 87

Basketball ● Winsted, Connecticut, United States ● 2008After 265 straight losses, a girls’ basketball team maintains a winning attitude.

HIS NAME IS PRIDE ..................................................................... 91

Baseball ● Montreal, Canada ● 1993A baseball player who was born hearing impaired works his way to the major leagues.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ..........................................................95

INDEX .......................................................................................... 97

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.................................................................. 103


In 2005, when motocross racer Ricky James was 16 years old, he crashed during a race. James was thrown headfirst from his Yamaha YZ80. He crushed his spine, broke his wrist and a couple of ribs, and had a collapsed lung. He spent seven hours in surgery. Afterward, doctors told him that he would never walk again. He would be paraplegic—paralyzed from the waist down.

Not walking wasn’t what worried James the most. “I didn’t think about never walking again,” he said. “The only thing that mattered to me was that I couldn’t race anymore.” It turns out he was wrong. Within a year, James had adapted a hand-cranked bicycle to racing.

But James’s world had changed forever. He adapted to life in a wheelchair. That meant figuring out new ways to do what were once simple tasks—showering, getting dressed, tying his shoes. At the same time, he set some very big goals. Within three years of his accident, he began competing in triathlons. These

INTRODUCTION

1


three-part races include swimming, biking, and run-ning. First, James had to learn how to swim. “I wanted to pick up a new challenge,” he said. “I wanted to prove that I was an athlete.”

Only a few months later, James traveled to Hawaii for the Ironman World Championship. He used his new swimming skills to cover 2.4 miles in the ocean. He rolled along for 112 miles in his hand-cranked cycle. Finally, in an adapted race chair, he completed a 26.2-mile marathon. Twelve hours and 44 minutes after he started, he crossed the finish line.

It would be an impressive feat for anyone. For a young man who had fought for his life only a few years earlier, it was inspiring. Of course, Ricky was just staying true to the word tattooed on his right leg. It read: PERSEVERANCE.

The stories in this book celebrate that word in all its forms. Perseverance is defined best by the people who display it. It can mean courage and strength, as shown by the wrestler who became a champion—even though he only had one leg. Or perseverance can mean toughness, as in the story of the golfer who had his heart replaced twice but never lost his spirit. It can translate into grit and determination, displayed by the boxer who was wrongly imprisoned but never gave up the fight for his freedom. Or it can mean the bravery

2 Powerful Stories of Perseverance in Sports


and the resolve of the woman who swam across the English Channel. Perseverance can appear in the form of endurance, like the tennis players who didn’t back down, even when their match took three days. Sometimes it means strength of mind, as shown by the fencer with dyslexia who turned newfound self-esteem into gold medals.

All of these stories share two important things. They all feature obstacles that seemed to stand in the way of reaching a dream. And they all feature amazing athletes who show us that it is pos-sible to overcome nearly any challenge. Whether it’s on the speed skating track, the pitcher’s mound, or the frozen lands of Antarctica, these tales of perseverance are about people and possibilities.

Introduction 3


UNHITTABLEIt was a Saturday afternoon in Yankee Stadium. New York Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott stood on the mound and stared at his catcher. In the stands, the fans cheered themselves hoarse. The Yankees were in the midst of a pennant race, but that’s not what had the crowd in a frenzy. So far, not a single batter for the Cleveland Indians had managed to get a hit. At age 25, Abbott was on the verge of making history.

Then again, he already had. “I believe you can do anything you want if you put

your mind to it,” Abbott likes to say. Growing up in Flint, Michigan, he had set his sights on making it to the major leagues. He wanted to be called a big leaguer. Instead, he was called cruel names. Some kids nick-named him “crab” because he was born without a right hand. But Abbott figured he would just have to become a one-handed baseball star. “A few people told me that I wouldn’t go far in sports,” he said. “I didn’t listen.”

baseBALL

September 4, 1993 • New York, New York, United States

5


In high school, Abbott became the starting quarterback and punter on his school’s football team. He was even better in baseball. Playing first base, shortstop, and left field, he batted .427 as a senior. In 1985, he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the amateur draft. But instead of joining the minor leagues, he decided to go to college. At the University of Michigan, Abbott became a national sensation—as a pitcher.

To pitch and also field from the mound, Abbot had to make a tricky series of moves. With a left-handed baseball glove where his right hand would be, he pitched with his left hand. After he threw the ball, he switched the glove onto his pitching hand. To make a fielding play, he cradled the ball and glove in the crook of his right arm. Then he grabbed the ball and threw it with his left hand. Some opponents tried to take advantage of Abbott’s system. In one high school game, a team bunted eight times in a row. But Abbott became a very good fielder. He threw out seven of those eight bunters!

In three seasons pitching for Michigan, Abbott had a 26–8 record. In 1987 he received the James E. Sullivan Memorial Award as the nation’s top amateur

6 Powerful Stories of Perseverance in Sports


athlete. He then earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. At the 1988 Summer Olympics, he pitched the team to a gold medal.

Abbott’s success didn’t stop there. Next, the California Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels)

Switch HitGrowing up, Shay Oberg watched Jim Abbott pitch in the big leagues. Despite having been born without a left hand, Oberg herself was a star Little Leaguer. She went on to be a high school star, too. As a senior in Billings, Montana, she earned all-state honors. At the plate, Oberg batted from a left-handed position. She used her right arm to slap at the ball with a backhand stroke. She hit well, but she couldn’t generate much power. So she worked harder. She also tried new things. In college, where she played for Montana State University Billings, she decided to experiment as a switch-hitter. That meant she batted left-handed against right-handed pitchers and right-handed against left-handed pitchers. In 2008, as a junior, she hit three home runs—all of them right-handed. As an opposing coach said, Oberg showed that “anybody can do anything if they want to work hard enough.”

Unhittable 7


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