Garth Brooks, the famous country singer, had a significant impact on an MLB hitter's batting stance in the past. Craig Counsell, who is currently the manager of the Chicago Cubs, had a successful career as a professional baseball player. He played in the major leagues for 12 years, starting from 1995 and ending in 2007.
Counsell had a reputation for having an unusual batting stance where he would hold his bat high up in the air. The reason behind this stance remained a mystery as he never provided an explanation for it.
After being appointed as the manager of the Chicago Cubs, Counsell participated in the 2024 Cubs Convention. During the convention, someone finally inquired about the reason behind his past habit of holding the bat at a high position in the air.
He holds Garth Brooks responsible for it.
According to Counsell, he wasn't skilled at hitting during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers while he was attending spring training with them. He struggled to make any successful hits.
During a spring training game, I successfully hit a strong hit towards the left field. It was a moment of triumph for me as it was my first base hit. Excitedly, I lowered my head and hurriedly ran towards first base. The crowd erupted with exhilaration. However, when I glanced up, I was surprised to see Garth Brooks, who had unexpectedly made a spectacular diving catch in left field, preventing me from breaking my streak of not getting any hits in the game.
The people who were present at the press conference found this story extremely funny.
The following day, I was set free. I engaged in a conversation with myself, questioning why I couldn't achieve any successful hits. This led me to raise my hands high up in the air, and surprisingly, it had a positive impact on my performance.
Garth Brooks is the one I hold responsible for my terrible batting stance.
Brooks, who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in music history, also had a passion for sports during his childhood. He actively participated in baseball and track and field events as an athlete. Despite having three opportunities to join the New York Mets, he was unable to secure a spot on the team.
Evan Paul is a well-known radio host who presents Taste of Country Nights, a popular syndicated radio show that can be heard 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 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 others.
Take a peek into the beautiful Malibu beach house of Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. Enjoy the stunning images in the gallery provided by Sterling Whitaker.
Images: Take a look inside the impressive Palm Beach townhouse owned by Sean Hannity. The credit for the gallery goes to Sterling Whitaker.
A ranking of the 30 saddest country songs of all time, curated by Carena Liptak.
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