Dear Baseball,

Over the course of my life, you’ve been more than just a game. You have taken me on a roller coaster of emotions, sometimes allowing me to be the hero of the day with the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth or the guy that strikes out with the bases loaded. Every day there is a new hero in your game, and I am thankful that you allowed me to experience it. You taught me that even if you succeed, you can still fail. You have always been the centerpiece of my life. Because I grew up with four older brothers, I was exposed to you at an early age, and almost constantly. As the youngest one in my family, I set a high standard for myself in sports and academics in hopes of making my family proud, and you helped me do that. I feel as if I have exceeded these standards with the help of my mentors, who only enhanced the beauty of your game for me.

Playing at the University of Charleston for the past four years opened doors and provided opportunities that were unmatched. I received a top-tier education and was able to play for and alongside men that pushed me in every way possible, and always left a smile on my face. While our chapter may be coming to an end, I think about all the life lessons I learned from you—laugh at yourself even when it hurts, nothing is ever as bad as it seems, and success isn’t measured by home runs or stolen bases, but the character that is built along the way. I want to thank all of my family, friends, coaches, professors, teammates, and most of all you, the game of baseball, for helping shape me into the individual I could only dream of becoming.

Golden Eagles for life.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Brice Arrington