Now hear this: Adam Greenberg

There’s a public campaign that’s gaining purchase in the waning days of the baseball season. It has nothing to do with putting a man in the White House. Rather it’s about getting Adam Greenberg back on a Major League roster.

Greenberg has become somewhat of a legend for getting hit by a pitch in his only big-league appearance. A look at his page on BaseballReference.com is quite sad as it lists both his debut and final games as July 9, 2005, when he came to bat in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter in an 8-2 win over the Florida Marlins.

There have plenty of stories about and interviews with Greenberg in the ensuing years. His story is compelling as he refuses to give up on his dream, playing in the minors for the Dodgers, Reds, and Royals, and even going the independent league route. He took this year off to build his nutritional supplement company, but there are still fans out there who want to see him back on the field.

Matt Liston created OneAtBat, a site devoted to collecting signatures for an on-line petition to convince a team to give Greenberg that chance that he deserves, if for no other reason than his heart and perseverance demand it. There’s nothing in it for Liston, no other connection with Greenberg than as a fan.
 

 
I had the chance to speak with Greenberg, who will be playing for Team Israel in the qualifying round for the World Baseball Classic later this month, about this amazing tribute.

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Here’s wishing him good luck and good health.

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Kaplan’s Korner on Jews and Sports © 2012 New Jersey Jewish News

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