JUNE 21st - The Chapters of Hawk--Just Rant About It



On this day in 1971, Ken Harrelson decided to retire from baseball to pursue a professional golf career. This wasn’t exactly a Michael Jordan situation. Harrelson was never considered to be the best in the game, he had recently suffered a broken leg, and a rookie had been called up to replace him. But you have to admire his gumption. "Later baseball, I’m gonna go be a golfer now." He did alright. Missing the cut for ‘72 British Open by a stroke probably being his biggest highlight. But don’t go feeling sorry for ol' Hawk, as he is better known. Legend has made him the father of the modern batting glove when he wore--you guessed it--a golf glove to the plate. He also went back to baseball after his brief golf career and is one of the longest tenured and better known announcers currently working in baseball. Some of this has to do with the absolutely epic rants he can go on, but that’s neither here nor there. Because ol’ Hawk Harrelson is a perfect example that our lives have different chapters. The ending of one doesn’t mean the book is over. Sometimes the next chapter is better than the previous one, and sometimes it isn’t. A chapter might be short or long. Could be full of action or really damn boring. The trick, I think, is to make each chapter mean something. Not everybody will move from baseball to golf then back to baseball, but if you keep plugging away, trying new things, and living your life, you might just get somewhere you don’t mind being. And if you don't, you could always just rant about it.

This Day has been Marked.

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