|
|
|
 In
the Spotlight
Hitting A Homerun: Curtis Pride
by Kellye Nelson
In 1986, Curtis Pride was drafted by the New York Mets at the same
time he accepted a full basketball scholarship to the College of
William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Through a unique arrangement
negotiated by his family, the Mets, and William and Mary, Curtis
was able to play professional baseball part-time, while being a
four-year basketball starter at college. He graduated from William
and Mary in 1990 with a degree in finance. In 1992, Curtis signed
with the Montreal Expos as a minor league free agent.
On September 23, 1993 he recorded his first major league hit- a
double. In 1996, history was made when Curtis became the first full-season
deaf player in the modern era of Major League Baseball. He has subsequently
enjoyed a successful career in professional baseball, and played
with the following major league teams: Detroit Tigers, 1996-1997;
Atlanta Braves, 1998; Boston Red Sox 1997 and 2000; and Montreal
Expos, 1993, 1995 and 2001.
His career in professional baseball has spanned 19 years now, and
he is currently playing for the Anaheim Angels. Curtis was quoted
saying, "I've always liked to inspire people, even people without
disabilities, that they're able to achieve their dreams or goals
if they just work hard, stay positive, and continue to believe in
themselves."
Kellye: At what age was your
hearing loss diagnosed? How would you describe yourself: deaf, hard
of hearing, or hearing impaired? How do you communicate with your
family, friends, and the public?
Curtis: I was born profoundly deaf. My mother
was exposed to rubella while she was pregnant with me which caused
my hearing impairment. I was 14 months old when they discovered
my hearing disability. I consider myself hearing impaired. I use
oral communication to communicate with my family, friends, and the
public.
Kellye: Share with me your
educational experiences. Did you receive accommodations in school
and college?
Curtis: I was mainstreamed in the 7th grade
up to 12th grade. I had an oral interpreter for some of the classes
in junior high and high school. In college, I used a tape recorder
to tape most of my college classes' lectures and had them transcribed.
Kellye: What challenges or
obstacles did you encounter in your pursuit to the major leagues
(as a result of your hearing loss)?
Curtis: It was a challenge trying to get
the management to look at my ability rather than my disability.
They were more concerned about the on-field communications with
teammates. We rarely had any problems with communication, so that
was good.
Kellye: As you know, being
an African American with a disability (deafness), you are a minority
within a minority. Have you experienced or encountered discrimination
as a result?
Curtis: Yes I have experienced discrimination
because of both racism and my disability. It is unfortunate that
we live in a society where racism still exists.
Kellye: How and why did you
create your foundation, "Together With Pride"?
Curtis: My wife, Lisa and I started the
foundation in 2001 to help hearing impaired children in South Florida
and Maryland where I grew up. I didn't have a role model when I
was growing up. I feel that it is important for me to help other
hearing impaired kids because I have experienced a lot what these
kids are going through. I want to help these kids believe in themselves
and that they can achieve their dreams and goals. We hope to become
a national foundation in the near future.
Kellye: Who are/were your
role models and why?
Curtis: My parents are my role models because
they have taught me a lot when I was growing up. They encouraged
me to try a lot of things where failure was possible. They taught
me to believe in myself and that I can do anything I want.
Kellye: Please share any words
of wisdom for youths and young adults with disabilities who dream
of pursuing a "non-traditional" career like sports.
Curtis: Be dedicated and self-motivated.
Work hard and most importantly, have a strong passion for it.
Kellye: What are your future
plans after you hang up the cleats and bat?
Curtis: I would like to have my own business,
like a real estate investments company. Be more involved with my
[Together With Pride] foundation.
For more information about the foundation, visit http://www.togetherwithpride.org.
Curtis' parents have written a letter geared towards parents of
deaf and hard of hearing children, which can be found at http://www.togetherwithpride.org/who_parents.htm.
Michael E Graziano
|
