Ed Hearn and "Champions"

Ed Hearn was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1978 MLB Draft. Hearn made his MLB debut with the New York Mets during their 1986 championship season. He was the primary backup to future Hall of Famer catcher Gary Carter. Unfortunately, Hearn did not play in the World Series.
Prior to the following season, Hearn was traded to the Kansas City Royals in a deal that saw future Cy Young award winner David Cone go to the Mets. Slated to be the starting catcher, Hearn's season ended after six games because of a shoulder injury. He played seven games in 1988, but that was it for his MLB career. He did play in the minors through the 1990 season, before retiring.
Sadly for Hearn, his retirement did not go as planned. In 1993, he underwent a kidney transplant. Later he had two surgeries for skin cancer and he had two more kidney transplants.
He battled depression and mood swings, Fortunately, he battled through everything and came out of it incredibly positive.
Hearn's story is very inspirational and is one of the fifteen stories featured in Champions, a book written by my old friends George Castle and John Schenk. I had the pleasure of meeting Hearn at the book launch party for Champions.
Much like his former teammate Barry Lyons, who I recently featured here, meeting Hearns was a real thrill. I had followed his career and read his book Conquering Life's Curves: Baseball, Battles & Beyond. I interviewed him for Signature Strength at the book launch and I talked informally to him, as well. I also got to wear his World Series ring.
Hearns was so fascinating. He had some great baseball stories, but more importantly he had great life stories. He was as entertaining as he was nice. It was simply a joy.
Champions is a wonderful book, filled with stories of courage and strength from fifteen athletes. Check SignatureStrength.org for more info on Champions and the great work Signature Strength does.

Ed Hearn and me in Chicago, IL-February 2018.

Barry Lyons and "Champions"

Barry Lyons made his major league debut with the New York Mets in 1984. He spent parts of 7 seasons with the Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Anaheim Angers and Chicago White Sox. Mostly used as a backup catcher, Lyons collected 150 hits for a ,239 career average. Always a fan of backup catchers, I was happy to see Lyons finish his career with the Sox.

After retiring, Lyons faced some serious challenges. His home was destroyed by a hurrican and he battled substance addiction. Fortunately for Lyons, he has triumphed thanks to his newfound devotion to God.

Lyons is one of fifteen athletes featured in Champions, a book written by my old friends George Castle and John Schenk. I had the honor of interviewing Lyons at the book launch party for Champions.

I also had the pleasure of having dinner with Lyons and Schenk the night prior to the party. I knew about Lyons being born again and I looked forward to a great discussion with him about religion, spirituality and even a little baseball.

Lyons talked openly about his troubles and being saved by his religion. He is strong in his beliefs and he is grateful for the chance to recover in life. Whether your religious beliefs, it is impressive and inspiring to hear Lyons speak so passionately about his. It was one of the most interesting conversations I have ever had, especially with a celebrity.

Regular readers know that I co-created the Backup Catcher Hall of Fame. As much as I like Lyons, I did not put him in the BCHOF. His averages are right there, but he just did not play long enough. Despite not being a BCHOFer, Lyons is definitely a HOFer in life. What a great guy.

Champions is filled with stories from 15 athletes who have similarly inspiring stories of overcoming life's obstacles.Check SignatureStrength.org for more information on Champions and other great work that Signature Strength does.

Barry Lyons and me in Chicago, IL-February 2018.

Rich Nye, Signature Strength and Champions

Rich Nye pitched with the Chicago Cubs from 1966-1969.  He split the 1970 season between the Montreal Expos and the St. Louis Cardinals.  He finished with a record of 26-31 with an ERA of 3.71.  He has since been a very successful veterinarian in the Chicago area.

I met Nye many years ago at AU Sports Memorabilia Store, but I saw him recently at the Signature Strength book launch party for Champions.  Nye's former teammate Fergie Jenkins was profiled in the book co-written by George Castle and John Schenk.

It was great to see Nye come out to support his friend and the cause.  Nye and Jenkins were teammates over 45 years ago, yet they remained close over the years.  Going together through the grind of several seasons will form bonds like that.

Signature Strength also causes that type of reaction.  Many people came out just to support the athletes, signature Strength and the book.  I saw the family and friends of so many o those involved.  It was exciting and heartwarming.

Signature Strength is headed by John who has his own fascinating story and could have very well been one of the profiles in Champions.  John is a champion in every sense of the word.

Champions is just the latest of the projects Signature Strength has undertaken.  Their motto says it all, "Through sports-themed literature and more, our Mission is to help young people identify and maximize their unique strengths so they can achieve true success in their lives."  It's about overcoming obstacles and and using lessons learned to achieve greatness.

Check out SignatureStrength.org for more info on this wonderful company.  You can also purchase Champions and other books there.

Rich Nye and me in Chicago, IL-March 2018.

Scott Touzinsky and "Champions"

Scott Touzinsky was well on his way to a great career in volleyball, when he severely tore his ACL in 2004. Doctors feared he wouldn't be able to play again. Through hard work and determination, he returned to competitive action by the end of the year. Touzinsky made his Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and won a gold medal.

As devastating as his injury was, Touzinsky admits there are far worse things in life. He would have been just fine if he never stepped on a volleyball court again. That might make his comeback even more impressive. He didn't have to comeback. He could have easily just gone on with life, but he didn't.

Touzinsky's story is one of fifteen featured in Champions, a wonderful book of overcoming obstacles, written by my friends George Castle and John Schenk through Signature Strength. Champions is entertaining, inspirational and heart-warming. The athletes featured have all beaten the odds and have positive stories to tell.

I had the honor of interviewing Touzinsky at the book launch party for Champions. He couldn't have been more gracious, even allowing me to wear his Olympic gold medal.

It may seem silly to be excited about wearing someone else's Olympic medal, but it was a special moment. I'm not a huge fan of the Olympics, but I recognize the significance and the history behind that medal. This specific medal also represented the effort of Touzinsky in reclaiming his volleyball career.

Check out SignatureStrength.org for more information on Champions and the rest of the good things happening at Signature Strength. I promise you will be seeing more wonderful projects from Signature Strength.

Scott Touzinsky and me in Chicago, IL-February 2018.