Traditions are rooted deep into American culture. Baseball has been America’s favorite pastime for over a century and this tradition, in particular, runs deepest.
Some families hold this tradition closer than others however, chasing down a spot in the big leagues, literally. At Perry High School, three of the players on the baseball team come from families with pro ball backgrounds.
Senior Nick Jenkins, junior Kyle Huckaby and sophomore Tyler Watson all grew up around the sport, being as their dad’s all played at some professional level. For them it is more than just a hobby, baseball is like a family business.
Jenkins is a special case, with both his dad and his uncle having tasted professional baseball. Jenkins’s father, Brett, played minor league ball but never quite broke through into the Major Leagues. His uncle, Geoff, enjoyed plenty of time in the MLB, spending 10 years with the Milwaukee Brewers and even a year as an All Star. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 and received a World Series ring.
“My ultimate goal is to make it all the way, and one day play for the Brewer’s if I can,” Nick explained. “Baseball is definitely a family tradition and it’s something I want to continue to do.”
Ken Huckaby, Kyle’s father, spent time in the MLB with the Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Orioles and Red Sox.
While he bounced around to different organizations, he was a career .222 hitter as a catcher. Never the less, he made it to the big leagues, something which is a dream Kyle – a pitcher – hopes to one day achieve.
“Ever since a young age I’ve seen him around [baseball] and expected I would be there one day, and now I’ve got to try to make that happen.”
Also pitchers, Tyler Watson’s father, Ron, played for the Angel’s minor league program before sustaining a shoulder injury which would prevent him from continuing down the pro ball path.
Ideally, if Tyler could play anywhere he would go to Boston explaining that, “I would love to play for the Red Sox, because my dad’s from Boston and I’ve always been a fan.”
His dad expresses his excitement for Tyler saying, “Watching Tyler play baseball is a great deal of fun for me. Seeing Tyler recognize the need to adjust to be successful and committing to the adjustment has been the most rewarding part of the experience so far.”
Growing up around baseball, it is only natural that Huckaby, Jenkins and Watson want to follow in their fathers’ footsteps. But Ron acknowledges the pressure the young men must feel.
“I don’t want [Tyler] to look at baseball as either a success or failure [based] on how high of a level he is able to complete,” he said. “More importantly, a significant amount of experiences that must be enjoyed while trying to achieve his goals.”
Puma notebook
The baseball team is off to a good start in 2013. They opened the season by winning their first tournament – the Harold Bull McClintock Classic. (Yes, that tournament is named after PHS assistant coach and McClintock legend Harold Bull.)
Bull’s son, sophomore shortstop Austin Bull had a nice tournament, scoring seven runs for the Pumas. Junior outfielder Brady Hettinger had three extra base hits, 10 RBI and a home run during the tournament.
In Power Point competition, Perry’s pitching has been pivotal in their hot start (7-2, 2-1 PP). Senior hurlers Justin Schander and Kade Bishop have thrown gems in their starts, and the pitching staff as a whole has a collective 1.57 ERA.
Over spring break the Pumas will play seven games – the first week of break will be spent at Highland High School in the Triple Play Classic, then on Mar. 15 they will host Hamilton, followed by a Mar. 21 against Basha at PHS. The Hamilton and Basha games begin at 3:45.
