Chris Rowley and history
Bill sends us a link from MLB.COM in regards to the Toronto Blue Jays new pitcher, Chris Rowley, who became the first West Point graduate to pitch for Major League Baseball last night.
Rowley became the first graduate of United States Military Academy to pitch in the Major Leagues when he debuted Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre. More important, Rowley left a lasting impression by tossing 5 1/3 strong innings in Toronto’s 7-2 victory over the Pirates.
Less than two years ago, Rowley was on active duty in the United States Army. The big leagues were nothing more than a pipe dream for the undrafted pitcher, who joined the Toronto organization as a Minor League free agent in the summer of 2013. Now he has a Major League win and an entirely new country filled with fans who are quickly learning his backstory.
For a West Point grad, he sure needs a haircut and a shave.
Category: Army News
What year did he graduate and how long did he serve on active duty?
2013 grad, and served for 30 months AD. Chris was granted an exception to his 5 yr active duty service commitment. Pretty common over the years w/ David Robinson, Napoleon McCallum, Chad Hennings, and others getting waivers to play pro ball. Former Dallas Cowboys great Roger Staubach served out his full commitment to the navy – those days are done.
Thanks. Can’t say I agree with the waivers because they show favoritism under the BS guise of “promoting” the service branch. He should at least be compelled to pay uncle back for the cost of his education prorated for his AD time.
Yeh, especially considering the overrated paychecks this people get!! Personnally, I would prefer a career in the military…west point…guaranteed at least a Colonels rank at retirement, if he didn’t screw up…..imo
Mitch Harris served four years AD following the Naval Academy. He pitch for the the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015 and 2016. Got dropped this year after damaging his throwing arm. Those days aren’t gone. It just matters who is signing the waiver.
Former Dallas Cowboys great Roger Staubach served out his full commitment to the navy – those days are done.
I believe that the commitment in those days was less than today, so not entirely equal.
Sorry, misspoke on Napoleon McCallum. He was never granted a waiver for early release to play in the NFL. McCallum played for the LA Raiders in 1986 while on AD when he was home ported near LA. McCallum picked up his NFL career in 1990 after his service obligation was completed. His football career ended in 1994 after suffering a severe leg injury that almost required amputation.
Looks like he did a really good job for his first start:
5 1/3 innings – 5 hits, 1 run (earned), 1 base on balls, 3 strikes, ERA = 1.69
He threw 75 pitches, 47 were strikes.
Major General Abner Doubleday (USMA 1842) played some ball.
Ted Willaims had quite an interesting military background.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Williams#Military_service
For those Cleveland Indian fans – Bob Feller
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Feller#Military_service_.281941.E2.80.9345.29
A CPO and HOFer!
FWIW, the SECDEF has put a stop to it. http://www.profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/05/02/department-of-defense-scraps-policy-that-gives-cadets-quicker-path-to-pros/
Better link: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/05/02/department-of-defense-scraps-policy-that-gives-cadets-quicker-path-to-pros/
Good, it’s about time. I am by no means conservative, but it irks me every time I hear about some pro athlete shirking his duty to play ball, thus wasting his tax-payer funded education (which runs in the hundreds of thousands, AFAIK), instead serving our country. News flash: the service academies are for producing military leaders. If you want play sports for a living, please go to college on your own dime. There are kids with great potential who actually want to serve our country out there and you stole their slot for selfish reasons.
My old S4A at Recon was a USNA grad and was drafted by the Jays. He got PTAD to go to spring training in 2015.
So they are praising him for skipping out on his obligation?
Shouldn’t it be the other way around……
Kevin Tillman!
Nothing but bullshit.
Fuck this guy for using his talent to get out of his obligation waiver or not he chose it.
This is about as far opposite as one can get from a Pat Tillman and a Kevin Tillman. Kevin had already signed for a pro baseball team and walked away from it to serve in war.
Must have qualified “Expert” in hand grenades. No money in throwing those around.