FIRST NATIONAL LEAGUE HIT"A GREAT STORY OF FIRST NATIONAL HIT, AGAINST HIS OLD LITTLE LEAGUE TEAMMATE"
My first national league hit was a memorable one even though it barely made it up the middle for a single. I grew up in southern California. Whittier to be exact. I grew up like anyother kid, playing stickball, over the line games at the local school, and of course playing little league. I grew up playing for one particular team year in and year out. One of my friends on the team was a left handed pitcher named Dave Leiper. His dad was the coach of the team and I was the catcher. Just like any other kids at that age, we had a blast. Play the game, go over to each other's house and swim, hang out, etc. As we grew up we kind of went our separate ways.I went on to play at Fullerton J.C. and than to Pepperdine University where I eventually signed with the A's. I lost track of my friend from that little league team and never really knew what happened to him. I of course went on to play with the A's and eventually with the Cub's triple A team for 2 years and than with San Fransisco. I remember getting called up to the big leagues my first year with the giants in June. After getting called up, we were playing the San Diego Padres in Candlestick and I had to wait until the 4th game to get my chance to hit. I finally got the call to pinch hit in the fourth game and an opportunity for my first national league hit. As I went onto the field to hit, I studied the left hand pitcher who was on the mound for the padres. I went up and stroked a base hit up the middle for my first hit. It was extra special for one reason only. It was Dave Leiper on the mound for the padres! Wouldn't you know it, my first hit in the national league was off of my old teammate from little league who I used to catch. Unbelievable! We had gone our separate ways and through the grapevine I had heard that he had signed a professional contract, but I wasn't sure with who. When I got to the national league I learned that he was with the padres. And when we played them, it was him on the mound. I will treasure that moment forever.
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