The First Out

Chapter 1 - Draft Day

It had been a whirlwind of a week for Brad Hawley. He graduated from Penn Valley High School just a few days ago. A week before that, he led his high school baseball team to the Pennsylvania High School Baseball Championship. The 18-year-old third baseman -- a native of Fairlawn, PA -- tossed and turned all night, even getting up at 2 AM to watch "The Sports Page" -- a 30-minute sportscast on a regional all-sports network that recapped the sports news of the day. It aired live at that hour, then replayed in a continuous loop from 7 AM to 10 AM every weekday, which is what Brad and his family -- father Alan, mother Deb and 10-year-old brother, Jeff  -- along with assorted members of the Philadelphia media and Taylor Bridges, Brad's closest friend, were watching on the giant, flat screen TV in the living room of the Hawley's upper middle-class home that mid-June morning in 2010.

Major League Baseball's "First-Year Player Draft" was moments away from beginning. Brad was a highly touted prospect, and if the trophies, awards and ribbons that were perched on the mantle over the fireplace in the living room were any indication, the phone call from a Major League team -- most likely the New Orleans Breakers -- would occur just moments after the draft's commencement.

In the meantime, those assembled enjoyed a nice brunch put out by the Hawleys, and watched a news item on the very draft they were awaiting to begin:

"Welcome back to the SPORTS PAGE. With Major League Baseball's First Year Players Draft beginning this morning", began Leyna Monahan, the Thirty-Something Blonde morning sports anchor. She was on-screen, the logo for MLB over her shoulder. "The New Orleans Breakers, who have the first pick over all, will have a tough decision to make. Do they take Allegheny High School relief pitcher Nick Mancuso? Or Penn Valley High slugger, Brad Hawley? The Breakers are high on both players, but in the recent Pennsylvania State championships, Hawley may have made the Breakers decision a bit easier."

The Breakers were high on Nick Mancuso, a pitcher for Allegheny High School in Western Pennsylvania, but, as The Sports Page would explain, Brad put a hitch in New Orleans' draft plans. 

Leyna Monahan continued voicing over B-Roll footage  of Brad, wearing #20 -- in honor of his father's hero, Mike Schmidt -- and the green and gray uniform of the Penn Valley Mustangs. He belted a walk off 3-Run home run in the bottom of the 7th inning. Brad sprinted around the bases with his arms raised in a "V". His teammates and coaches raced out of the home team dugout at Reading, PA's Municipal Memorial Stadium, jumping over each other, to greet him at home plate.

"The Penn Valley third baseman hit the game winning, walk off home run off Mancuso to give the Mustangs their second straight state baseball title. After the game, an ecstatic Hawley discussed his prospects for the future."