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Garth Brooks’ Diving Catch: The Unconventional Batting Stance That Changed Craig Counsell’s Career

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Garth Brooks, at one point, influenced a professional baseball player's batting stance. Craig Counsell, the current manager of the Chicago Cubs, had a successful career as a major league baseball player for 12 years, spanning from 1995 to 2007.

Counsell had a unique and unusual batting stance that set him apart from other players. He would hold his bat high up in the air, baffling everyone as to the reason behind this technique. Surprisingly, Counsell never provided any explanation for his unconventional stance.

Upon being appointed as the manager of the Chicago Cubs, Counsell participated in the 2024 Cubs Convention, during which someone inquired about the reason behind his previous practice of holding the bat at a high position in the air.

He attributes the blame to Garth Brooks.

Counsell admits that he was not skilled in hitting, and during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he attended spring training where he struggled to achieve any successful hits.

During spring training, I smacked a solid hit towards the left field. Excitedly, I thought to myself, "Finally, my first base hit!" With my head down, I immediately began sprinting towards first base. The crowd erupted into wild cheers, adding to my excitement. However, when I glanced up, I was astonished to see that Garth Brooks had unexpectedly made an incredible diving catch in left field, prolonging my streak of not getting any hits in the game, as I was still 0-4.

The individuals present at the press conference found the story to be extremely amusing.

The following day, I was set free. I engaged in a conversation with myself, questioning why I was unable to achieve any successful hits. This introspection led me to raise my hands high up in the air. Surprisingly, this action proved to be beneficial and improved my performance.

Garth Brooks is the one I hold responsible for my dreadful batting stance.

Brooks, who is widely regarded as one of the most iconic figures in the music industry, had a diverse upbringing that included a passion for sports. During his younger years, 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 serves as the presenter for Taste of Country Nights, a radio show that is broadcasted on over 120 country radio stations across the country. The show airs every night from 7PM to midnight and features the latest and greatest country music. Evan also conducts interviews with popular artists of today, such as Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, Morgan Wallen, and many others.

Take a look inside the beautiful Malibu beach house owned by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. The stunning images in the gallery are credited to Sterling Whitaker.

Images: Take a look inside the beautiful Palm Beach townhouse owned by Sean Hannity. The photo gallery has been credited to Sterling Whitaker.

The following list ranks the top 30 country songs that are known for their melancholic and somber themes. Credit for the gallery goes to

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