Jeff Summers

Baseball Epistemologist

Just a guy from Section 215 Row 1 Seat 5

Hi, I’m Jeff! Welcome to Diary of a Diehard. After looking around and reading a few posts you are probably wondering who I am…

My Story

I have always loved baseball, as long as I can remember. The first piece of sports equipment I ever owned was a mitt. This was quickly followed by a ball and bat. The smell of a freshly oiled leather baseball glove, the sight of a newly chalked batter’s box, the feel of an outfield of freshly cut grass; these are the memories of my childhood that remain with me even today. As I think back to when I was young, my earliest recollections are somehow connected to the great game of baseball.

At the age of 3, I began playing baseball. Growing up in Idaho, there were relatively few sporting goods stores that carried left-handed baseball equipment. I started using a right-handed mitt placed backwards on my right hand until a glove could be special ordered.

I continue to play ball although my shoulder has succumbed to the damage that 40 plus years of pitching takes on a body. I have had four shoulder surgeries and my fastball isn’t what it used to be. I can still hit the gaps and sometimes turn a double into a triple but I must admit I am breathing a lot harder than I did when I was younger. I’m slowly coming to the realization that my playing days are over but the love I have for this game still burns strongly.

Now I spend a lot of time at Chase Field watching the Arizona Diamondbacks play, dreaming of what might have been. I’ve tried hard to share my love and knowledge of baseball with my family in hopes that they too will find the joy that I have gotten from this marvelous game.

My Values & Beliefs

Creativity

Every problem or life experience is an opportunity to look at things differently. Always question the status quo and see if there are better ways of doing things. 

Strive for Excellence

The thing that differentiates good from greatness is the drive and focus you put into something. Try to be the best version of yourself by putting in the extra work and setting difficult goals you want to achieve.

Harmony

There must be balance in all things. When you are facing challenges understand they will make you stronger and set you up for equally lofty of success.

Give People a Chance

Everyone approaches life differently and have unique life experiences. You never know what a person went through to get here. Always give them a chance to show what they can do and who they can be.

My Approach

Like everything in my life I look at any potential experience as an adventure; one that should be enjoyed and savored.  The world is filled with wondrous things, we just have to be observant and let life take us wherever we need to be.

So many times we tend to get caught up into trying to control all aspects of our lives. The universe is a big place made up of an infinital number of decisions and outcomes. We will make ourselves insane trying to understand and control the outcomes. Instead, submit yourself to going with the current in a tidal wave of your lifetime.

You can course correct as necessary to keep yourself off the rocks or impede your progress but overall, life is here to experience and enjoy so don’t forget to breath and have fun.

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