“You will remember for centuries,” “Remember for centuries,” I sang quietly as I went to the clubhouse to take a quick pit stop down memory lane and all the things that I had accomplished my tenure at college and how I had gotten here in the first place. This song reminded me so much of the player that I wanted to be. The player that would be remembered for centuries. The player who would be known for this great thing and that great thing. I wanted to be that player. And I will not stop until I have that goal. The dream that I had to yet to fulfill started with putting the finishing touch on my resume for all the scouts in the stands. We finished the Star Spangled Banner and we took the field before the crowd at Memorial Stadium. I took the field as the crowd of 28,000 strong Golden Bears cheered me on, knowing that this would be my final game playing for Cal University. The end of the preparation and the beginning of the dream.

My teammates and coaches all congratulated me for getting through the season and wishing me good luck in the big leagues before the game. I prepped myself to give the end-of-the-year speech that 1 player each year on the baseball team had to give each year. That was me. Casey Park,  the University of California’s starting catcher. I was roughly 6’2 and weigh 220 lbs. Not 6 pack built type of body, but you know, made to be a catcher, stocky, tough. Qualities like that. I prepped myself to give the speech in front of 28,000 people. I had’nt practiced squat, but decided to go with my heart, instead of meaningless words on an index card. The announcer had just finished announcing the starting line-ups and now introduced me. I jogged up the dugout steps and up to the podium near home plate while the crowd, all the while, roared with the pride only a Golden Bear could have had. I cleared as my throat as my spoke, “Thank you for all of you guys for coming out today for our final game. Thank you for all the support and the love you gave to the baseball team this year even though we didn’t make the playoffs.” “I can vouch for every player and coach on this team with my life that they are grateful and thankful as much as I am. Even though I will be leaving school to enter into the MLB Draft (I heard a lot of groans after I said that part), I will always how YOU guys helped me mold me into the player that I am today.” “Also I will never forget, once a Golden Bear, always a Golden Bear.” “Thank You.” I slowly walked back toward the dugout, savoring the loud crowd chanting  “MVP” “MVP as I was so moved that when I sat on the bench tears came out. Happy tears. I just remembered my first little league game, when I was just a wee little kid playing t-ball and to the moment right now, in my final collegiate level game, about to drafted, hopefully, and make it big time in the MLB. I raced up the dugout steps, as I waved my cap to the crowd one more time for the hecka of it. I would keep their promise and be the MVP of this year’s draft.  I would not stop at anything to break that promise.
As I drove back to my home, I tuned into the radio and tuned into Sportscenter radio.  The MLB Draft doesn’t get as much hype as all the other drafts do in other sports, but they were talking about the really high draft picks not me. Right when I was about to change the station, they started talking about me. “Hey Bob, I hear of this catcher named Casey Park from Cal University. Can you tell me a little more about this guy?” “Well Adrian, this guy is 6’2, 220 built perfectly for a catcher. He has good lateral quickness and plays his position. He has a strong arm and can throw out anybody. And I mean anybody. On the offensive side of the ball, he has good contact and can hit for power. He has short arms, so you can’t pound him inside effectively as other big powerful, right handed batters.” “Well lets pause for station identification” The radio station paused and I turned it off in disbelief. The whole country had heard about ME. ME a nobody from a small ball college. “I guess I played well enough to impress those scouts,” I exclaimed. As I drove, I thought about how that description of me affected my draft stock.
It was 2 months later after my last game at Cal. Today was the day of the 2021 MLB Draft. I was at home because the draft was in New York and the plane ticket was too expensive. The commissioner was up, talking about how he was excited about all the talent in this year’s pool of players. He exclaimed “The San Francisco Giants are now on the clock.” “Dang,” I exclaimed. How great would it be to play for my hometown team. The team that I grew up adoring and cheering for as a kid. As I daydreamed about all the memories, the commissionerhad came up to the podium. “With the #1 pick in the 2021 MLB 1st Year Player Draft, the San Francisco Giants select…. Casey W. Park.” “What, as I jumped in joy.” I hugged my whole family as I celebrated. I had dreamt of this celebration, but not coming as soon as this and not as crazy as this. My dream had finally come true. The dream felt real as ever.