How many of you are familiar with the Bryce Harper story? Bryce is a 19 year old kid from Las Vegas, who just got selected to his first Major League All-Star game..You heard it right! 19 years old and he's already playing in the All-Star game. Let me give you a brief run down on the Bryce Harper story. When he was a sophomore in high school, Sports Illustrated did a cover story on him. His destiny was to play in the majors, and he wanted to do it as fast as possible. After his sophomore year he had already completed enough courses to attain his GED..The rules for getting drafted state that you must be 18 years of age, or at least one year removed from high school..At the time? He was neither. So, he ends up enrolling at the College of Southern Nevada..(CSN is a large JUCO in Las Vegas, they have an excellent baseball program, and the great thing about it? They are only allowed to use wooden bats)..Naturally, some of the naysayers thought a wooden bat would slow down his production..
Think again, in the one year that he was at CSN? His batting average was in the high 400's and his home run total was 31..The previous school record for home runs in a season? 12. Anyways, CSN advances to the JUCO world series, and everyone is expecting to see a show from Bryce..The problem being? He was thrown out of the first game for arguing a call..The rules state that if you get thrown out of a game, your automatically suspended for the next game..That didn't bode well for CSN chances, and they were effectively eliminated.
After his year in JUCO was up? Bryce was more than ready to make his way to the show. Without any suspense at all, Bryce was drafted with the first pick by the Washington Nationals. If my memory serves me right? He was barely 18 when he was picked? Anyways, the Nationals signed him to a nice juicy contract, sent him to the minors for a year, and then called him up to the show earlier this year.. Now, at the tender age of 19, Bryce has found his way to my home town of Kansas City for this year's All-Star game..I'm predicting the All-Star game will be a big time coming out party for him?
A few years ago, I got a call from a friend of mine in Las Vegas. He had tickets to a college basketball tournament that was playing at The South Point..(South Point is a casino located on S. Las Vegas Blvd). They have a nice arena that hosts all sorts of sporting events..We make our way into the arena and my friend asks me.."Heh by the way, do you know who Bryce Harper is? Him and his dad are coming to watch the game as well." My friend is friends with a guy who is a friend of his dads..Anyways, I'm sitting court side, watching the game, and my friend says.."Heh Rob, come over hear for a moment I want you to meet some people." I look up and I see him standing next to a few people, one of them was Bryce's dad, and the other was Bryce.
I walk over and my friend introduces me to both of them..Old man Harper was a very nice and pleasant man, and when I met Bryce? I could tell right away that he came from good stock. When I first looked at this kid? He didn't really strike me as the next big thing. He looked like any other 16 year old, albeit he was built a lot better than most. He was wearing a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt that said "Las Vegas Little League." We exchange pleasantries, and I almost asked him for his autograph, but I didn't want to bother him. He was their to relax and enjoy the game. Now, I kind of regret not getting a picture or signature..(I noticed his autograph was selling on Ebay for a tidy sum)..The kid was getting so much hype at the time, that I almost expected an entourage would be following him..Not the case, just a father and son watching a basketball game.
I like to end every post of mine with a thought I'm having..Call it the village idiot thought of the day. "Don't get me wrong, I knew all along that Bryce Harper was something special..But come on! You would think a guy would have to be in his 20's, at least? In order to make the Major League All-Star team..I guess not. Bryce keep up the hard work..All of your bro's in Vegas are proud of you!"
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