Tony Beasley is the fella in the picture above wearing #27, holding his hand up in the 3rd base coaching box.

In 1989 He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles of the American League in Major League Baseball, a year before I was drafted by them in 1990. We both spent the 1991 season playing for the Frederick Keys in the Minor League’s High A ball.

Tony made the Carolina League All Star team that year; I left before the season was over with an injury. Neither of us ever made it to the Big Leagues, but whereas I ground out 7 seasons in the Minors before moving on, Tony ground out 11.

Baseball’s reward at the end was a ring,

Like a lot of guys I played with over the years, Tony stuck it out and stayed in the game of baseball. He even became one of the few who eventually made their way to the Big Leagues…but not as a player. Today he’s a Major League coach!

Last night turned out to be really big for Tony.¹ Beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0, his Texas Rangers won the 2023 World Series. And Tony got himself what every player ultimately dreams of…a World Series Championship ring. That’s big league.

It began as a normal night for me…a fire in the fireplace, my family scattered around the living room, and a couple of former stray dogs sacked out around us. But the night ended great, because I got to watch an old teammate of mine win the proverbial “last game of the season”. That’s big league, too.

…But kindness made him remembered.

If you were to ask me my thoughts about Tony, my response would be simple. He was a good dude, kind, and he was nice to me.

You can go out and do, perhaps accomplish, a lot of things in this world while you are here. But if you want someone to remember you, the formula is simple — Be kind, treat people well, and they will never forget you.

Congratulations Tony! I’m happy for you.

Get In The Boat! Do Your Part!

From Nose to Toes!

 

Shane

 

 

Shane Hale is a redeemed & re-purposed professional baseball player and former corporate sales executive. Shane, his wife Michelle, and their three sons live in Mobile, Alabama, USA, where he works as a Realtor. While seeking God’s plan for his life in the summer of 2014, God told Shane to start writing. Today he shares his faith to encourage and inspire others to seek His plan for their lives as well. Check out his blog at http://www.the1sixproject.com.

 

Footnotes: (1) Wednesday, November 1, 2023.

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