Old School Wazzu

I ran across this program that I had from Homecoming 1949, back in the Washington State College Days ... and no, I wasn't going to Wazzu then.

After reading through the magazine, I realized that the focus on drinking and women were not a modern day invention.

 I got a kick out of the New Holland Library "Under Construction." The future site of the Holland Beach snow picture.

Pretty good photo shop job for 1949! Hey, did he just turn a page?










 Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

School Newspaper Picks Up Story

Here's another bit of media that was a result of my selection as Batboy for the Seattle Mariners. This was published in the Auburn High School Troy Invoice school newspaper. Enjoy!

 

Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

New Reviews for The Card!

There's been a bunch of new reviews of THE CARD (A Van Stone Novel) in the past couple of weeks!

Here's a few excerpts from readers of The Card:

Life Will Be Better if You Look to The Stars

Star Trail Facing Polaris (North Star) Photo Credit: Jim Devitt at 12 yrs old

Sometimes we need a break. We need to stop watching TV, stop surfing the internet, stop writing, and stop shopping online. Tonight, do that. Go outside and look up at the universe. 

When was the last time you looked up at the night sky?

I've always been fascinated with space exploration and the universe. I grew up surrounded by the space program and have always had my eyes toward the stars. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to enter space and did so before I entered the world. I also missed the first US Astronaut, Alan Shepard, and his fifteen-minute flight into space.

How Baseball Began (in my Eyes)

Many people ask if I was a baseball fan before becoming a batboy. In fact, my earliest memory of sports was attending a New York Mets baseball game in Shea stadium. I was somewhere between three and four years old, about the same age of the Mets when I saw them. Way before the Miracle Met's of 1969. It didn't matter to me who won or lost.

Inaugral Season Schedule and Win/Loss outcome

I can still remember walking into the stadium, through the concourse and out into the stands. My eyes grew wide taking in the sheer size of the stadium and the beautiful green grass contrasting sharply with the orange clay of the infield. From that moment on, I was in awe of stadiums. You can read a bit more about that here where I talk about my experiences in theKingdome. I remember sitting at the game with a big orange, metal bar in my face. You wouldn't find that in stadiums of today! Yep, way back in 1964 during a sunny afternoon in Queens, NY, this three-year old fell in love with baseball.

This was a Long Time Ago

Here's living proof that my Batboy days were a long time ago. 

Besides the fact the smoking was allowed in the dugout, players chewed tobacco endlessly and the snack rack in the clubhouse resembled a

Local Boy Hits it Big!

The Paparazzi was on hand during my rookie night in the Big Leagues. 

This feature came out in my local hometown newspaper. I had no idea that it was going to be such a big spread.

 

The Media Blitz Ensued ...

Photo Op outside the Kingdome

After my selection as a Batboy for the Seattle Mariners, there was an onslaught of media coverage. Here I was, one day a mild mannered high-school kid, the next day, interviews, photo ops and more. It was a fun time in my life, for sure. Most of this was before I even set foot on the field for the first time.

In addition to the job, I received a $500 savings bond for winning the contest. The Mariners also selected a Ball Girl from the contest. I guess you could say life was looking up.

Over 30 years ago, there were no 24 hour sports stations (actually ESPN came into existence the year I was batboy) and media coverage was limited at best. To say I was unaccustomed to the media blitz was an understatement. They made me feel as if I was really in the Big Leagues.

My Ticket to the Major Leagues

I've mentioned previously that I earned the batboy job for the Seattle Mariners through an essay contest. In 500 words or less, the topic was, Why I wanted to be a Bat Boy for the Seattle Mariners. The Seattle Times and the Seattle Mariners selected the Top Ten Finalists based solely on the essay and then the series of interviews began.

This was a long time ago. I happened to dig out the original essay that I submitted for the contest. Sometimes, it's hard to remember how different things were in 1979. There were no word processors, personal computers or online access. Quite frankly, it's amazing that I have a copy of the essay at all. Then again, I tend to keep a lot of stuff.

So here it is, for better or worse, from 34 years ago, my ticket into the Major Leagues …

"Why I wanted to be Batboy for the Mariners" Winning Essay

  Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

I Can't Believe They Paid Me For This

Being a batboy for a Major League Baseball Team had lots of perks—free tickets for family and friends, a great view of the game, a chance to meet baseball superstars and much more. The one question that I'm always asked is, "Did you get paid?"

The reality is I would have done this job without being paid a dime. There were so many memories and experiences, that I should have paid the ballclub to work. However, I did receive a wage.

Ready for this … now remember, this was 1979. I received a flat rate of $6 per game.

Wow, that must be something like $11 a game in today's economy!

Hanford Nuclear Reservation Doesn't Disappoint Mr. Han

I saw an interesting article yesterday in the Florida Today Sunday paper. In the article, they discuss the Hanford Nuclear Reservation located in Eastern Washington. What caught my eye is the extent at which the 56 Million gallons of toxic waste has been leaking into the area surrounding the facility. 

Now why would this be of note in a blog like this?

If you've read The Card, you might recall Van's science teacher, Mr. Han. Van, Zoe and Fred go to him to help solve the mystery behind Van's Moe Berg baseball card. Han is a paranoid genius—constantly on the lookout for the next government conspiracy. In the story, Mr. Han is sure that the Hanford facility is leaking nuclear waste into the Columbia River.