Factory Worker to Hall of Famer

Happy Sunday!

Before we begin, I’d like to announce the winner of the Pete Rose signed baseball giveaway.

Drum roll, please… 🥁 

The winner is William H. – congratulations! You’ll get an email shortly to claim your prize.

For long-time readers, don’t fret.

I’ll be running an exclusive “subscribers-only” giveaway very soon. Think of it as a small thank you for your support over the years.

Here's what’s coming today:

• How a 20-year-old factory worker with a lazy eye became a big-league legend

• Why a no-name journeyman crashed the NHL’s party

• The 5’6” third-stringer who went from D3 to the NFL

Let’s dive in 👇

Trying something new here. Simply click the choice you think & the correct answer will be shown.

How a 20-Year-Old Factory Worker Became a Hall of Famer

He almost lost hope in his baseball career.

Between college classes and night shifts at an electric factory, his dream was fading fast.

Then one opportunity changed his life forever.

Edgar Martinez was born in New York City in 1963.

After his parents got divorced, 2-year-old Edgar went to Puerto Rico to live with his grandparents.

As a child, he watched the Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series – led by Puerto Rican legend Roberto Clemente.

In his own words, Edgar was “hooked on baseball after that”.

His grandfather bought him his first uniform – number 21, after Clemente – with his own name stitched on the back.

Nothing could keep him away from baseball.

Martinez played in the yard with his brother and cousins, hitting bottlecaps with broomsticks to learn the game.

“When it would rain, Edgar would go outside and swing at the raindrops,” his cousin said.

“He would do it for hours.”

As he matured, Edgar didn’t receive attention from pro scouts in Puerto Rico.

They liked his glove but felt he was too weak of a hitter.

He also battled a lazy eye, which required extra training to make up for.

“He is basically one-eyed at times,” an optometrist said later.

Edgar would write numbers on tennis balls, have a friend feed them into a pitching machine, and try to identify the number as the balls sailed by him at home plate.

After a few failed pro tryouts, he enrolled at a local university to prepare to enter the workforce.

“At that point, I sort of lost hope of signing.”

By age 20, Edgar’s schedule was jam-packed.

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm: College classes

10:00 pm – 7:00 am: Night shift at the General Electric factory

When he got home, he’d sleep a few hours, then practice baseball for his weekend semi-pro league.

One morning, Edgar arrived home from his night shift to a surprise.

The GM of his semi-pro team stood in his driveway waiting for him.

“The Mariners are having a tryout,” he told Edgar.

“Get ready, I’m going to take you there.”

So after an 8-hour night shift, Edgar hopped in the car for the 8 AM tryout.

He remembers being “so tired I couldn’t swing the bat.”

Running on fumes, he flashed enough potential to get a chance.

A few days later, the Seattle Mariners signed him for $4,000.

In his first minor league season, Martinez hit .177.

Battling culture shock, the adjustment took time.

“I could only speak a few words of English, just enough to order in a restaurant.”

But he kept working – learning English & getting more pro at-bats – and he improved.

Ultimately, Martinez didn’t play his first full MLB season until age 27.

Yet he managed to post eye-popping career numbers through his final season at 41 years old:

• .933 OPS

• 309 HRs

• 1,261 RBIs

In an average season, Edgar hit .312 and drove in 99 runs.

Fast forward to 2019:

Edgar’s 10th and final year on the Hall of Fame ballot.

One last chance at baseball’s highest honor.

“It started out as a normal day,” Edgar told the Seattle Times. “…I tried to distract myself as much as possible.”

Then, just before 6 PM, his phone rang.

In his final year of eligibility – and just as all hope appeared to be gone – Edgar Martinez was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Like everything else, he had to fight to earn it.

It was the perfect metaphor for his career.

Legendary broadcaster Dave Niehaus said it best:

“I’ve never heard anybody in any walk of life say anything ever halfway bad about Edgar Martinez…He has always had nice things to say about everyone, even in trying circumstances.”

“He’s a great human being."

👉 If you enjoyed this story, share it with a friend!

P.S. When I posted this story on Facebook, one woman said: "So happy to read through comments on a post and not see anyone trying to troll or be negative." And it's true, you'll never read a bad word written about Edgar Martinez. He is exactly the kind of person a pro athlete should be.

🏈 He was a 5’6” third-stringer at a powerhouse Texas high school program. Then he made the improbable leap from Division III to the NFL. [Joker Mag]

🏒 This 6’8” journeyman enforcer made headlines when he crashed the NHL All-Star Game. And for good reason. [theScore on YouTube]

❤️ “His nickname is scrappy.” This quiet 13-year-old Mississippi football player has overcome a slew of health challenges to thrive on the gridiron. [Ansley Brent @ WXXV News 25]

⭐️ "Some people try to run away from the hard times.” This is the unlikely story of a Broncos safety who didn't even have a draft grade going into his final college season. [Tyler Dunne @ Go Long]

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⭐ Trivia Answer:

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Til next time,
Tyler

Extra Innings…

• Non-sports story: “I had no job, no prospects, not many friends…that’s when it hit me. Writing. It’s what saved me.” The creator of the hit show Mr. Inbetween has a pretty darn good underdog story.

• Subscriber Spotlight: Reader Matthew G. over at Dead Legends wrote a killer three-part series on Pete Rose, whose original scouting report said “he can’t run, hit, or throw - all he can do is hustle.”

• Something to watch: I loved the new Netflix documentary about Sylvester Stallone. A lot of golden tidbits about succeding in the face of doubt, dealing with regrets, and carving your own path.

• In case you missed it: You can grab your own Underdog Mentality coffee mug to support the newsletter while enjoying your morning cuppa joe. I appreciate those of you who already have it in your coffee rotation!

• Because you made it this far: Dr. Pepper couldn’t have asked for a better spokesman.