I never thought much about my birthday til this year.
From the age of about 8 I knew what I was gonna get - new mitt, gift certificate to the batting cages, maybe some tickets to see the Tigers.
This year I turn 18.
Already got one gift. Diller Pembroke got a scholarship to Baychon Junior College. Maaan, I was so happy for him. He almost ruined it by saying it wasn't as good as my scholarship to the University of Texas. I shook my head like I had a hornet in my ear and told him he was gonna hit .500 at Baychon and get drafted.
I got scholarship offers everywhere.
My dad wanted me to go to Cal State. He was mad I picked Texas.
Told me he didn't understand.
He's gonna understand soon enough.
In a way, it's his fault I picked UT.
He sent me to a baseball camp down in Georgia, didn't ask, just told me I was going. They had a swimming pool, a pro masseuse, movie night, and there was an equestrian camp down the road.
If you had asked me to define equestrian back then I probably would have said elderly pedestrian.
All the guys from the McGriff Elite Academy would wander down to Gold Stables and watch girls in silly hats ride horses.
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