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Cover Letter

Hi, my name is Hannah Gallup I am about to finish my first year of college at BCC. I recently changed my major from General Studies Major to Early Childhood Education Major in order to become a preschool teacher. Throughout my early years in school I never felt confident in my writing abilities. My weaknesses mostly involved the placement of punctuation and paragraph development. When I got into high school, I started to pay attention more to grammar and proofreading. One of my strengths when it comes to a writing assignment is that if the topic is something I can relate to, I can go into  great detail so the reader can actually feel like they were there with me. When I registered for this class I was a little bit worried about the amount of writing that it would involve and not knowing what was required in the portfolio, also made me nervous. In choosing a theme to write about for the various assignments due this semester, it seems that sports somehow have always been an important part of my life and one of the way that my family connects. So, the three assignments in the portfolio all involve sports.

The first essay that I have placed in my portfolio is the memoir assignment. My memoir was a chance to write about special memories from a family vacation that included my brother playing in a baseball tournament in Cooperstown, New York. I chose this essay because when my family goes on vacation we usually end up going somewhere sports related. Another reason I wrote this paper is because my brother means the world to me and it was a nice chance to share some special memories. This essay shows that I am a good story teller and can go into detail on stories that mean something to me. With this essay I accomplished my goal of entertaining people with good descriptive details such as explaining how everyone felt at the opening day ceremonies.

The second essay that I have included in my portfolio is the ethnography assignment. The reason for this assignment was to examine a subculture of people who share behaviors, and write down observations and details. The group I chose to write about was a group of baseball players, including my brother, who attended several sessions of  a batting clinic. This essay illustrated my ability to focus on a topic and to provide details of the behaviors that I observed.  Since I had never heard of an ethnography before, it was a challenge to organize and revise this essay and I was pleases with the result.

The third and final essay in my portfolio is the text wrestling assignment. The basis for this assignment was to be able to connect and respond to the writing of others. This involved providing a summary of another author’s main points and considering if I could relate to those points or if I would disagree in my response to the article.  The topic of this essay was a discussion of what lengths athletes should go to in order to make their dreams come true. While writing a summary of the article, I determined that I was in agreement with the main points of the author that some modifications are acceptable for athletes such as laser surgery to improve vision, but having blood transfusions or taking performance enhancing drugs do not qualify as an acceptable way to improve their skills. As part of my response I was able to include an article about an athlete who will be competing in the Paralympics in Rio this summer. The courage of this individual to do everything he can to be able to compete should be an inspiration for anyone who wants to rely on the talent that they were born with and to try their best. This essay  shows that I have good research skills and can evaluate source material and use MLA guidelines.

In conclusion, I am confident that the three writing samples which I have included in the portfolio assignment demonstrate that I have achieved the course objectives. Throughout the three assignments there is clear evidence of focusing on a topic, developing the details of a story, and of course making the necessary revisions. The feedback from the instructor and the opportunities that I had for my peers to review my writing have helped me to improve my abilities as a writer.

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First Essay (Memoir)

After visiting Cooperstown, New York as part of a family vacation, my parents, my brother, and I, each found things there that made it such a special place. Baseball fans come from all over to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and can spend days walking through all of the exhibits of baseball history. Another important place to visit in Cooperstown is the historic Doubleday Field, which was named for Abner Doubleday, who some people think might have been responsible for inventing the game of baseball in 1839. Major League Baseball has designated Cooperstown as the official birthplace of baseball and the game’s permanent home. Learning about the history of baseball is a good enough reason to visit there, but I consider this to be my “happy place” since my family shared some great times there.

One of my favorite memories of all time happened when we returned to Cooperstown in the summer of 2011 to watch my brother play in a tournament at Cooperstown Dreams Park. This park is a beautiful baseball tournament facility that is open for thirteen weeks every summer. It is open for players who are 12 years old and younger to compete against their peers from all over the country and even some from other countries. Each week the tournament starts out with 104 teams, and by the end of the week the last two teams play for the championship. It is a very special place to play, and a great opportunity if you have a chance to watch or be a part of it in some way.

From the beginning, it seems as though my family has always found a way to bond through the game of baseball. By the time my brother was old enough to play T- ball, we all became involved in the game in some way. Since my father was always one of the coaches, it usually meant that my mother and I were keeping score, taking care of water and snacks, watching the pitch count of players, volunteering at the concession stand, and trying to show our support in every way that we could. My brother was lucky enough to be asked to try out for a team being put together just to compete at Cooperstown, and that meant my family and I were lucky enough to be part of a fabulous experience too.

When you first arrive at the park, it is amazing to see that there are twenty- two baseball fields and each one is surrounded by a green wall that is ten feet high. The players all stay with their teams in a clubhouse in the baseball village, and the parents and siblings manage to stay in hotels that are not to far away. At first it seemed as though this experience would only be for the players, but it ended up that it was a special time for all of us.

The week starts off with an opening ceremony and all of the teams and their players get introduced to the crowds of people. During this ceremony there are skills competitions similar to the ones they have at the all- star games. Some of the skills competitions are Roadrunner, Golden Arm, King of Swat, and Around the Horn. Each team is guaranteed to play seven games during the week, and depending on the outcome, they might end up playing in the playoffs. When they are not actually playing a game, the players spend time practicing or trading pins with players from other teams, just like the athletes do at the Olympics. Besides all of the baseball games to watch, the players can have a barbecue under a big pavilion with their team and their families. We were also able to go to an amazing gift shop and even to look at great pictures that photographers took of their games.

The whole idea behind the experience of participating in the Dreams Park tournament is to have young players play in a town where baseball began, and to leave with pride in themselves and a sense that they can find a way to make their dreams come true. The players actually get a chance to become a part of history because they are inducted into the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame and are awarded the Hall of Fame ring. I have always liked watching my brother play baseball, but these were some games I will always remember.

There is no doubt that playing at Cooperstown Dreams Park is an honor for the players and a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was also such a great memory for the families to share in, as well. At the closing ceremonies when all of the teams walked through a big arch onto the field, it was such an emotional moment and a feeling of pride for all of us. It is easy to have great memories of things that you accomplished. For my brother, his big accomplishment would probably be hitting that home run over the green wall at Cooperstown, and mine just might be getting to run the electric scoreboard during the games and knowing that I was able to make a contribution too. Everyone has their own unique memories of that trip, but we all felt that we were part of something very special. This was a true example of family support and the rewards that it brings. I have a souvenir T- shirt from my “happy place” which says it all, “ 7 days of baseball… a lifetime of memories.”

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Second Essay (Ethnography)

All of the remarkable rituals of the subculture of baseball which the players display during a game can also be seen during the off- season. In this instance, I was able to tag along with my brother to watch him participate in a few sessions of an indoor batting clinic to find out if practice really does make perfect.

This clinic took place on three consecutive weekends from 6:30 to 8:30 on Sunday nights. The location of this hitting clinic was in an old mill building in Fall River at a place called In The Park. This facility provides players with an indoor area to practice their batting skills when the weather outside is not yet suitable for baseball. Individual players or entire teams can use the batting cages, pitching areas, and even rent equipment if needed. In this case, instead of renting the cages for an hour or so, they were partnering with a local team from the New England Collegiate Baseball League to offer instruction to players ranging in age from seven through eighteen years old. Since my brother about to start his high school baseball season this clinic took place at the perfect time.

Just like in many other sports, those players who believe that practice makes perfect are the ones who will do everything they can to improve their skills. So, it was not surprising at all to see such an impressive number of players who showed up to participate. Having to climb up four flights of stairs on a worn out wooden staircase to the third floor of a really old, abandoned mill, while carrying all of their equipment, and paying a $99.00 fee just to register to be there might keep most people away, but not this group, The players who participated ranged from young eight year olds who seemed eager to try out some new equipment before the season starts to older high school players trying to reach their full potential.

It seemed quite natural for these players to assemble in front of the coaches eager to listen to instructions and hopeful to see something that they need to try to bring them success during the season. The instructors were players and coaches from the New Bedford Bay Sox, which is a team of college players from around the country who play in the summer league. The college players seemed very willing to show their skills and give tips to the young players. Without the pressure of a game situation, it was great to witness players of all abilities working toward a common goal.

There were eight batting cages surrounded by black rope netting which hung from the wooden ceiling all the way down to the turf covered wooden floors. Once inside the batting cages, the players were given the chance to hit off the tees, have someone throw soft-toss to them, and then finally to face live pitching. The general atmosphere was work-like, with the players trying to get the most out of this special experience, but there were opportunities for them to interact with their peers while they were waiting for their turn and perhaps they found out what teams they were hoping to play for.

Throughout these batting sessions it was clear to see that the players did not just show up to this clinic, they came to focus on what the coachers were saying to them and judging from the sounds of the balls that were being hit, they were giving it all that they could. When the time comes for opening day of the baseball season, these players can step onto the batters box and hit it out just like they practiced it while at this clinic. They should have full confidence in their abilities since they know that they climbed those fifty steps and put in extra work to practice the skills needed to be successful. Those who believe that practice makes perfect and commit to putting in the effort can reach their goals and live their dreams.

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Third Essay (Text Wrestling)

To what lengths should an athlete go to make their dreams come true? Some of the more acceptable modifications that athletes use to try to improve their performance include laser surgery to improve vision, and tendon replacement surgery to improve a throwing arm. In an article written in The New Yorker Magazine “Man and Superman”, Malcolm Gladwell examines the question of how elite sports can be fair competitions when athletes themselves have such an “ uneven set of genetic endowments and natural advantages” (Gladwell). Gladwell reviews a book called The Sports Gene, in which David Epstein tells the stories of, “ all of the ways that the greatest athletes are different from the rest of us”. Gladwell also discusses The Secret Race, an autobiography written by Tyler Hamilton to show what athletes will do who are not naturally talented or genetically gifted.

Mr. Gladwell is able to show both sides of the argument as athletes try to decide what is an acceptable and fair way for them to compete. In the first book, The Sports Gene, David Epstein travels to Finland to visit with a man named Eero Mantyranta. This man has a rare genetic mutation which causes his bone marrow to produce too many red blood cells. Mantyranta has used this ability to create more red blood cells to his advantage as he competes as a cross- country skier. Epstein describes what a physical challenge cross- country skiing is, and even so, Mantyranta was able to compete in three Winter Olympic Games and win seven medals. Gladwell explores the other side of the question that some athletes face when deciding what they can do to improve their skills. As a comparison, Tyler Hamilton writes in his autobiography The Secret Race, that he thought of himself as an underdog in the cycling world, so he had to find ways to physically transform himself so he could compete at the highest levels of the sport. When he joined Lance Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Services racing team, Hamilton learned about things such as hormone EPO and blood transfusions which increased the production of red blood cells so the cyclists could enhance their performances. Hamilton regrets using performance enhancing drugs and his book is supposed to serve as an apology. Hamilton writes, “EPO granted the ability to suffer more; to push yourself farther and harder than you would ever imagined, in both training and racing.” (Gladwell)

Most people want sports to be fair for everyone who competes, but the author brings up the question of what is acceptable for athletes to do if they think they can gain an advantage over others. Major League Baseball has had to deal with this problem when players were using drugs to improve their bodies and their playing. These drugs made a noticeable difference, but it was not fair to the other players. It is interesting to consider using science to gain an advantage, but if an athlete is superior because of their genetics or where they live, then they are lucky and the other athletes have to work harder. I believe athletes who try to even things out by taking drugs or doing things that are not natural to their bodies will learn this does not make them winners. Any athletes looking for inspiration should read the story about an athlete who was awarded a Purple Heart and a Gold Medal and they will appreciate the talents that they have.

An article written by the US Anti-Doping Agency describes a twenty-eight year old Navy Lieutenant, named Bradley Snyder, who was stationed in Afghanistan and was hurt in an explosion in an Afghan valley. He was an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Officer, so he had thought about the possibility of something terrible happening, like a brain injury or even death, but he was not prepared to become blind. He survived the IED exploding five feet in front of him, but he lost both of his eyes. The article explains that it was not only a miracle that he survived, but in just a week and a half after the blast, Snyder was on a treadmill and at three weeks he ran a 5k with two glass eyes. Six weeks later he started to swim again like he had done at the Naval Academy. He was contacted by the Association for Blind Athletes and soon after that he was swimming at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado (USADA). Snyder said, “ I really had no idea what was coming… I just wanted out of the hospital.” Snyder went on to compete in the 2012 Paralympics in London and on September 7, which was exactly one year after the explosion, he won a gold medal.

Snyder is training for the Paralympics in Rio in 2016 and is an ambassador for True Sport, which is a community- based movement stressing positive values and life lessons learn through athletics. He supports sportsmanship, fair play, and preserving a level playing field. (True Sport) He is proud of being a clean athlete saying, “ I have been clean my entire life, I always will be. Otherwise, everything I have done, everything I have achieved athletically, it would all be meaningless. It takes courage to compete clean.”(Snyder)

Although there are instances where athletes feel it is necessary to find any way they can to compete on an even level with other athletes, I believe that the only way to do this is by training hard and using the talent that you were given at birth. The courage and determination of an athlete like Lieutenant Snyder should be an example for all athletes to aim for. What actually make sports interesting is the hope that when you compete and do your best it could be your turn to win. As stated by Snyder, “ In athletics, courage is taking a risk, doing it the right way and digging deeper than you thought you could.” ( USADA)

Works Cited

-“A Profile in Courage: Brad Snyder |” U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). 2015. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

-Gladwell, Malcolm. “Man And Superman ” The New Yorker. 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

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Argumentative Essay Rough Draft

Baseball is such a popular sport which is played in many countries throughout the world, yet it is not a sport that is included in the Olympics. Throughout the long history of the games different countries have been given the chance to send athletes to compete against athletes from other places in the world, who have also trained hard in their sports. These athletes compete in front of the whole world and get the chance to represent their countries, as well. This summer when the world watches the athletes marching in for the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janero, once again there will be no baseball players taking part. After examining the reasons why the International Olympics Committee discontinued allowing baseball to be included in the games, and considering the popularity of the sport there seems to be no valid reason why baseball has been excluded from the Olympics since 2008.

The history of the Olympic games includes the facts that they originated 3,000 years ago in ancient Greece and were held every four years, in honor of the god, Zeus. The first modern Olympics took place in Athens, Greece in 1896, with thirteen nations competing. Since 1994, the Summer and Winter Olympics Games have been held at separate times and have alternated every two years. Another interesting fact in the history of the Olympics is that in the ancient games the only people who could participate were male citizens of Greece, so there were no events for women and married women could not even attend the competition at all. (History.com, 2016)

Baseball was first played as part of the Olympics in 1912 as a demonstration sport, and was added as an official event in 1992. It was played as an eight team round-robin style tournament, with a four team semifinal and the finals. At first, all of the players were required to be amateurs, and in 2000 professional players were allowed to play. ( Wood, 1997)

The President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, did an interview with MLB.com during the bronze medal baseball game between the United States and Japan in 2008. It had already been decided that baseball would be dropped from the 2012 Games in London and would have to compete with other sports to be included again in 2016. Rogge explained ,“ To be on the Olympic Program is an issue where you need universality as much as possible,” He also said, “ You need to have a sport with a following, you need to have the best players and you beed to be in strict compliance with WADA (World Anti- Doping Agency) and these are the qualifications that have to be met.” Major League Baseball did not allow its players to be on the U.S. team for those games. The U.S. roster was made up of twenty-three Minor League players and a college pitcher. This seems to be a big factor why they dropped baseball as a competitive sport in the Olympics. Rogee also stated, “ We want these guys at the Games. We are not saying it should be an entire Major League team, but we want the top athletes here at the Olympics,” ( Newman, 2008)

According to an article written by Jim Armstrong for the Associated Press, baseball and softball are still in consideration to get back into the Summer Olympics. Japanese organizers chose eight sports from a total list of twenty- six sports that had applied to be included in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Baseball and softball, squash, karate, surfing, bowling, roller sports, sport climbing, and wushu are all being looked at since the host city is allowed to propose one or more, additional events for their games.

Since baseball is a popular sport in Japan, it may have a chance of being reinstated, but the organizers do not want the expense of building any new facilities. Fujio Mitari, the Honorary President of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics who chaired the selection panel said, “ The most important factors in selecting events were: Does the sport have the support of the younger generation and how big is the population of the sport worldwide?” (Armstrong, 2015)

The way it stands now is that the federations of the eight sports will make their presentations in Tokyo, and then the organizers will make their recommendations to the International Olympic Committee by September 30, 2016. The final decision will be made before the games began this summer in Rio de Janero. (Armstrong, 2015)

Due to the international popularity of the sport of baseball and the twelve years that have gone by without baseball being included in the Olympic Games, it is time for the IOC ( International Olympic Committee) to return baseball to a full sport status in the Summer Games.

The person in charge of working with the IOC to bring baseball back to the Olympics is Dr. Harvey Schiller, the president of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). Dr. Schiller did an interview with the Olympic website, Around the Rings.com, and explained why the Olympics are important for baseball. He said, “ There is no sport that has shown that it is all inclusive, affordable for all, and a game that transcends boundaries more that baseball. Baseball’s emphasis on youth development, global growth, and fair competition, reflect the Olympic ideals.”( Mr. Baseball, 2010)

Baseball never should have been eliminated from the Summer Olympics and the time has come for it to be reinstated. If the roster of the American Team is made up of professional players or college players trying to make their dreams come true, they will make all of us proud and do their best to represent the United States of America. All eyes should be watching the IOC to see what their final decision will be this summer.

Work Cited

-Armstrong, Jim. “Baseball, Softball among Eight Sports on Short List for 2020 Tokyo Games.” The Globe and Mail. Philip Crawley, 22 June 2015. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.

-History.com Staff. “The Olympic Games.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.

-Newman, Mark. “IOC: MLB Players Needed for 2016 Bid.” Major League Baseball. MLB Advanced Media, 23 Aug. 2008. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.

-Wood, Robert J. “Baseball at the Olympics.” Olympic Games Baseball. Topend Sports Network, 1997. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.

-“Mister Baseball.” Mister Baseball RSS. 9 June 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.

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Text Wrestling Final Draft

To what lengths should an athlete go to make their dreams come true? In an article written in The New Yorker Magazine “Man and Superman”, Malcolm Gladwell examines the question of how elite sports can be fair competitions when athletes themselves have such an “ uneven set of genetic endowments and natural advantages.” (Gladwell, 2013) Gladwell reviews a book called “ The Sports Gene”, in which David Epstein tells the stories of, “ all of the ways that the greatest athletes are different from the rest of us.” Gladwell also discusses “ The Secret Race” an autobiography written by Tyler Hamilton to show what athletes will do who are not naturally talented or genetically gifted. Mr. Gladwell is able to show both sides of the argument as athletes try to decide what is an acceptable and fair way for them to compete. In the first book, “ The Sports Gene”, David Epstein travels to Finland to visit with a man named Eero Mantyranta. This man has a rare genetic mutation which causes his bone marrow to produce too many red blood cells. Mantyranta has used this ability to create more red blood cells to his advantage as he competes as a cross- country skier. Epstein describes what a physical challenge cross- country skiing is, and even so, Mantyranta was able to compete in three Winter Olympic Games and won seven medals.

Gladwell explores the other side of the question that some athletes face when deciding what they can do to improve their skills. In comparison, Tyler Hamilton writes in his autobiography m “ The Secret Race”, that he thought of himself as an underdog in the cycling world, so he had to find ways to physically transform himself so he could compete at the highest levels of the sport.

When he joined Lance Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Services racing team, Hamilton learned about things such as hormone EPO and blood transfusions which increased the production of red blood cells so they could enhance their performances. Hamilton regrets using performance enhancing drugs. He writes, “EPO granted the ability to suffer more; to push yourself farther and harder than you would ever imagined, in both training and racing.” ( Hamilton, 2012)

Most people want sports to be fair for everyone who competes, but the author brings up the question of what is acceptable for athletes to do if they think they can gain an advantage over others. Major League Baseball has had to deal with this problem when players were using drugs to improve their bodies and their playing. These drugs made a noticeable difference but it was not fair to the other players. It is interesting to consider using science to gain an advantage, but if an athletes is superior because of their genetics or where they live, then they are lucky and the other athletes have to work harder. Trying to even things out by taking drugs or doing things that are not natural to their bodies are not the things that will make them winners. Any athletes looking for inspiration should read the story about an athlete who was awarded a Purple Heart and a Gold Medal and they will appreciate the talents that they have.

An article written by US Anti-Doping Agency describes when a twenty-eight year old Navy Lieutenant, named Bradley Snyder, was stationed in Afghanistan and was hurt in an explosion in an Afghan valley. He was an explosive ordinance disposal officer, so he had thought about the possibility of something terrible happening, like a brain injury or even death, but he was not prepared to become blind. He survived the IED exploding five feet in front of him, but he lost both of his eyes. The article explains that it was not only a miracle that he survived, but in just a week and a half after the blast, Snyder was on a treadmill and at three weeks he ran a 5k with two glass eyes. Six weeks later he started to swim again like he had done at the Naval Academy. He was contacted by the Association for Blind Athletes and soon after that he was swimming at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. (USADA, 2015) Snyder said, “ I really had no idea what was coming… I just wanted out of the hospital.” Snyder went on to compete in the 2012 Paralympics in London and on September 7, which was exactly one year after the explosion, he won a gold medal.

Snyder is training for the Paralympics in Rio in 2016 and is an ambassador for True Sport, which is a community- based movement stressing positive values and life lessons learn through athletics. He supports sportsmanship, fair play, and preserving a level playing field. ( True Sport, 2015) He is proud of being a clean athlete saying, “ I have been clean my entire life, I always will be. Otherwise, everything I have done, everything I have achieved athletically, it would all be meaningless. It takes courage to compete clean.”(Snyder, 2015)

Although there are instances where athletes feel it is necessary to find any way they can to compete on an even level with other athletes, I believe that the only way to do this is by training hard and using the talent that you were given at birth. The courage and determination of an athlete like Lieutenant Snyder should be an example for all athletes to aim for. As stated by Snyder, “ In athletics, courage is taking a risk, doing it the right way and digging deeper than you thought you could.” ( USADA, 2015)

Works Cited

Gladwell, Malcolm. “Man And Superman – The New Yorker.” The New Yorker. 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2016. ”

A Profile in Courage: Brad Snyder | USADA.” U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). 2015. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

Epstein, David J. The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance. Print.

Hamilton, Tyler, and Daniel Coyle. The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour De France. Print.

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Sources

http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sf&sfi=AC01NBSimplSrch

http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sf&sfi=AC01NBSimplSrch

http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sf&sfi=AC01NBSimplSrch

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/59954638/

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/09/28/444133211/baseball-may-return-to-olympics-tokyo-organizers-also-call-for-surfing

 

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Arguable Research Topic Proposal

The topic that I have chosen for my arguable research paper is Should Baseball Return To The Summer Olympics? I am very interested in this question because the International Olympics Committee discontinued having baseball as a sport in the olympics because they did not think that Major League Baseball sent its best players to compete since it took place in the middle of the season. Since baseball is such a popular sport throughout the world it belongs in the Olympics and the decision needs to be reversed. What I know is that the IOC will rule on the matter in August 2016 and Tokyo is hosting the Olympics in 2020 and wants baseball to be included. Research ideas could include the history of baseball in the olympics, the politics and history of the IOC, and a look at high school and college players who want to be a part of the Olympic dream. A photo essay of the countries with fans who love baseball as much as the United States for instance in 2014 more than 200 players on MLB rosters were foreign born mostly form Asia and  Latin America.

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Text Wrestling Rough Draft

To what lengths should an athlete go to make their dreams come true? In an article written in The New Yorker Magazine “Man and Superman”, Malcolm Gladwell examines the question of how elite sports can be fair competitions when athletes themselves have such an “ uneven set of genetic endowments and natural advantages.” (Gladwell, 2013) Gladwell reviews a book called “ The Sports Gene”, in which David Epstein tells the stories of, “ all of the ways that the greatest athletes are different from the rest of us.” Gladwell also discusses “ The Secret Race” an autobiography written by Tyler Hamilton to show what athletes will do who are not naturally talented or genetically gifted. Mr. Gladwell is able to show both sides of the argument as athletes try to decide what is an acceptable and fair way for them to compete. In the first book, “ The Sports Gene”, David Epstein travels to Finland to visit with a man named Eero Mantyranta. This man has a rare genetic mutation which causes his bone marrow to produce too many red blood cells. Mantyranta has used this ability to create more red blood cells to his advantage as he competes as a cross- country skier. Epstein describes what a physical challenge cross- country skiing is, and even so, Mantyranta was able to compete in three Winter Olympic Games and won seven medals.

Gladwell explores the other side of the question that some athletes face when deciding what they can do to improve their skills. In comparison, Tyler Hamilton writes in his autobiography m “ The Secret Race”, that he thought of himself as an underdog in the cycling world, so he had to find ways to physically transform himself so he could compete at the highest levels of the sport. When he joined Lance Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Services racing team, Hamilton learned about things such as hormone EPO and blood transfusions which increased the production of red blood cells so they could enhance their performances. Hamilton regrets using performance enhancing drugs. He writes, “EPO granted the ability to suffer more; to push yourself farther and harder than you would ever imagined, in both training and racing.” ( Hamilton, 2012)

Most people want sports to be fair for everyone who competes, but the author brings up the question of what is acceptable for athletes to do if they think they can gain an advantage over others. Major League Baseball has had to deal with this problem when players were using drugs to improve their bodies and their playing. These drugs made a noticeable difference but it was not fair to the other players. It is interesting to consider using science to gain an advantage, but if an athletes is superior because of their genetics or where they live, then they are lucky and the other athletes have to work harder. Trying to even things out by taking drugs or doing things that are not natural to their bodies are not the things that will make them winners. Any athletes looking for inspiration should read the story about an athlete who was awarded a Purple Heart and a Gold Medal and they will appreciate the talents that they have.

An article written by US Anti-Doping Agency describes when a twenty-eight year old Navy Lieutenant, named Bradley Snyder, was stationed in Afghanistan and was hurt in an explosion in an Afghan valley. He was an explosive ordinance disposal officer, so he had thought about the possibility of something terrible happening, like a brain injury or even death, but he was not prepared to become blind. He survived the IED exploding five feet in front of him, but he lost both of his eyes. The article explains that it was not only a miracle that he survived, but in just a week and a half after the blast, Snyder was on a treadmill and at three weeks he ran a 5k with two glass eyes. Six weeks later he started to swim again like he had done at the Naval Academy. He was contacted by the Association for Blind Athletes and soon after that he was swimming at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. (USADA, 2015) Snyder said, “ I really had no idea what was coming… I just wanted out of the hospital.” Snyder went on to compete in the 2012 Paralympics in London and on September 7, which was exactly one year after the explosion, he won a gold medal.

Snyder is training for the Paralympics in Rio in 2016 and is an ambassador for True Sport, which is a community- based movement stressing positive values and life lessons learn through athletics. He supports sportsmanship, fair play, and preserving a level playing field. ( True Sport, 2015) He is proud of being a clean athlete saying, “ I have been clean my entire life, I always will be. Otherwise, everything I have done, everything I have achieved athletically, it would all be meaningless. It takes courage to compete clean.”(Snyder, 2015)

Although there are instances where athletes feel it is necessary to find any way they can to compete on an even level with other athletes, I believe that the only way to do this is by training hard and using the talent that you were given at birth. The courage and determination of an athlete like Lieutenant Snyder should be an example for all athletes to aim for. As stated by Snyder, “ In athletics, courage is taking a risk, doing it the right way and digging deeper than you thought you could.” ( USADA, 2015)

Gladwell, Malcolm. “Man And Superman – The New Yorker.” The New Yorker. 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

“A Profile in Courage: Brad Snyder | USADA.” U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). 2015. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

Epstein, David J. The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance. Print.

Hamilton, Tyler, and Daniel Coyle. The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour De France. Print.

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Ethnography Final Draft

Observing the subculture of baseball and all of the remarkable rituals which the players are known for displaying during a game, can also be seen during the off- season. In this instance, I was able to tag along with my brother to watch a few sessions of an indoor batting clinic to find out if practice makes perfect.

This clinic took place on three consecutive weekends from 6:30 to 8:30 on Sunday nights. The location of this hitting clinic was in an old mill building in Fall River at a place called In The Park. This facility provides players with an indoor area to practice their batting skills when the weather outside is not yet suitable for baseball. Individual players or entire teams can use the batting cages, pitching areas, and even rent equipment if needed. In this case, instead of renting the cages for an hour or so, they were partnering with a local team from the New England Collegiate Baseball League to offer instruction to players ranging in age from seven through eighteen years old.

Just like in many other sports, those players who believe that practice makes perfect are the ones who will do everything they can to improve their skills. So, it was not surprising at all to see such an impressive number of players who showed up to participate. Having to climb up four flights of stairs on a worn out wooden staircase to the third floor of a really old, abandoned mill, while carrying all of their equipment, and paying a $99.00 fee just to register to be there, might keep most people away, but not this group, The players who participated ranged from young eight year olds who seemed eager to try out some new equipment before the season starts to older, high school players trying to reach their full potential.

It seemed quite natural for these players to assemble in front of the coaches eager to listen to instructions and hopeful to see something that they need to try to bring them success during the season. The instructors were players and coaches from the New Bedford Bay Sox, which is a team of college players from around the country who play in the summer league. The college players seemed very willing to show their skills and give tips to the young players. Without the pressure of a game situation, it was great to witness players of all abilities working toward a common goal.

There were eight batting cages surrounded by black rope netting which hung from the wooden ceiling all the way down to the turf covered wooden floors. Once inside the batting cages, the players were given the chance to hit off the tees, have someone throw soft-toss to them, and then finally to face live pitching. The general atmosphere was work-like, with the players trying to get the most out of this special experience, but there were opportunities for them to interact with their peers while they were waiting for their turn and perhaps they found out what teams they were hoping to play for.

Throughout these batting sessions it was clear to see that the players did not just show up to this clinic, they came to focus on what the coachers were saying to them and judging from the sounds of the balls that were being hit, they were giving it all that they could. When the time comes for opening day of the baseball season, these players can step onto the batters box and hit it out just like they practiced it while at this clinic. They should have full confidence in their abilities since they know that they climbed those fifty steps and put in extra work to practice the skills needed to be successful. Those who believe that practice makes perfect and commit to putting in the effort can reach their goals and live their dreams.