Anyone ever heard of Zach Gentile?
Didn't think so. But I have, and here is his first card, from 2010 Bowman.
So why would Wrigley Wax own a card of a Red Sox prospect, and then bother to write about him? Good questions!
The answer is on the back of the card.
I made it easier to see. If you look at where he was born, it says "Sturgis, MI."
Want to guess where I live? Yup, Sturgis, Michigan. In fact, the Sturgis Hospital where he was born is right in my back yard. Actually, my back yard is up against the hospital's parking lot. It made it nice and easy for us when WW Jr. was born. When we brought him home, we didn't even bother with the car, we walked home!
If any of you have ever heard of Sturgis before, you might have heard of the big, wild motorcycle rally in Sturgis every August. But that's Sturgis, South Dakota. I'm in Sturgis, Michigan. Chances are you haven't heard of it before.
So when someone from little 'ole Sturgis makes it onto a real baseball card (not a fake one his dad made!), that's a big deal. At least to any collectors from Sturgis.
Zach was a three sport star at Sturgis High School, football quarterback, basketball guard, and baseball star. He played baseball at Western Michigan and was then drafted by the Red Sox. Sure, it was the 49th round, but still, he was drafted. He is now in his second season in class A with the Greenville Drive. Last year he played pretty regularly and hit .281. This year has seen his average fall, down to .240. I hope this won't be it for him. But no matter what, he's made it onto cardboard.
Way to go Zach!
I live very close to a hospital, too, and it also made it rather easy when my daughter was born. Just drive down the street I live on and there's the hospital!
ReplyDeleteWe could've walked home after, too, but with one of us just having a baby, she wasn't in the mood.
Nice to watch out for homegrown players...
ReplyDeleteThat's cool. I've never found a player from my hometown, or where I live now.
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