"The story on Norris is his real name is David. David Norris Jr. They say, with the family they went into a restaurant and he was about three years old, and some of the grown up adults ordered beer. The waiter turned to young Norris and asked him what will you have son, he replied, ‘Bud.’ That broke up everyone and from that moment on, he became Bud. Bud Norris. Now, wiser and older."
Baseball is a great metaphor for life. Sometimes we're not the best, or not at our best, but ultimately we just have to persevere and make things happen through sheer determination. I was 5'2" in high school and never in my wildest dreams imagined I would be playing pro ball for a decade. Yet here I am. Wiser, taller and throwing 97.
Below is my story, as told through one June game and mostly through the voice of one of my heroes, Vin Scully.
"I’m sure every pitcher has a certain routine and Norris certainly has one. His 1-0 pitch and Seagar takes high. Ball two. For instance, exactly an hour and five minutes before the first pitch of a game, let’s say a 7:10PM start, he is in the shower at 6PM. He showers, changes, stretches, headphones and bullpen. Goes to the mound at 6:45ish. By the way, one of the things he does before every baseball game is puts his baseball pants on two legs at a time. Here is the pitch, change and it’s in there for a strike. And as he says, ‘try it sometime.’ Pants, two legs at a time. Who would have though"
“Pitch on the way, fastball is low. Norris is throwing hard, I didn’t expecting that, he just hit 96 MPH. One of Norris’ prized possessions, his grandfather gave him a baseball autographed by Joe Dimaggio. Since Norris grew up just outside of San Francisco, I can certainly understand the importance. And meanwhile, Turner takes another 96er [mph] for strike."