Garth Brooks, the country singer, had an impact on an MLB player's batting stance in the past. The current manager of the Chicago Cubs, Craig Counsell, used to be a skilled hitter during his time in the major leagues, which lasted from 1995 to 2007.
Counsell gained fame for his unique and unorthodox batting stance. He would hold his bat high above his head, leaving everyone curious about the reasoning behind this approach. Interestingly, Counsell never provided any explanation for his peculiar stance.
After Counsell was appointed as the manager of the Chicago Cubs, he participated in the 2024 Cubs Convention. During the event, someone finally inquired about the reason behind his previous practice of holding the bat at a high position in the air.
He attributes the cause of the situation to Garth Brooks.
Counsell shares that during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers at spring training, he struggled as a hitter and was not performing well, unable to achieve any successful hits.
During spring training, I successfully hit a strong hit towards left field. It was my first base hit and I couldn't help but feel excited. With my head down, I quickly began running towards first base. The crowd erupted with overwhelming cheers and applause. However, when I glanced up, I was surprised to see that Garth Brooks had made a remarkable diving catch in left field, preventing me from breaking my 0-4 streak.
The individuals attending the press conference found this story to be extremely amusing.
The day after I was released, I had a conversation with myself, questioning why I couldn't achieve any success. This inner dialogue prompted me to raise my hands high up in the air, and surprisingly, it proved to be beneficial.
Garth Brooks is responsible for my terrible batting stance.
Brooks, who is widely regarded as one of the most iconic figures in the music industry, had a passion for sports during his childhood. He actively participated in baseball and track and field events. Despite having three opportunities to join the New York Mets, he unfortunately did not secure a spot in the team.
Evan Paul is the presenter of Taste of Country Nights, a radio show that is broadcasted on over 120 country radio stations across the country. The show airs every evening from 7PM to midnight and features the latest and greatest country music. Evan also has the opportunity to interview some of today's biggest country stars, including Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, Morgan Wallen, and many more.
Take a look inside the Malibu beach house belonging to Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. The images in this gallery were credited to Sterling Whitaker.
Images: Take a look inside the exquisite Palm Beach townhouse owned by Sean Hannity. Photo credits go to Sterling Whitaker.
The list of the 30 most sorrowful country songs, ranked in order of their level of melancholy. Credits for the gallery go to
Additional content can be found on Taste of Country's website. This includes various information