In R.A. Dickey’s memoir, Wherever
I Wind Up he recaps his journey as a person and as a baseball player. R.A.
Dickey’s story is truly inspiring and captivating. His book did a great job of
describing Dickey’s struggles in both life and baseball. The book begins in
Dickey’s childhood and tells the story of his journey up to a recent point in
Dickey’s life. R.A. Dickey’s Wherever I
Wind Up reveals life lessons universal in life such as the values of
determination, flexibility, and courage.
R.A. Dickey literally
came from nothing. He was born to unmarried parents, whom eventually married,
and then divorced. His mother had alcoholism problems which motivated him to
leave his mother and younger sister and go live with his father. It wasn’t long
before Dickey didn’t feel welcome in his father’s trailer home, and he resorted
to sleeping in his car as well as vacant houses. However, baseball was R.A.’s
haven and he made something of himself by being a star pitcher in High School,
then later in college at the University of Tennessee. Even after college, Dickey
still exhibited vast amounts of determination. It took multiple setbacks and
obstacles to make it to Major League Baseball. He never gave up, and strived to
be his best despite what the circumstances may have been. Determination was a
huge factor in R.A. Dickey’s story.
Another big character
value displayed by Dickey was his flexibility. Not physically, but mentally.
His life story centers on his switch from being a generic speed pitcher into a knuckleball
pitcher. This transition took place at a low point in R.A.’s baseball career.
He was nearly out of chances with advancing his career when he decided to
transform into a unique genre of pitcher. This exemplified extraordinary
flexibility. To be able to drop what you know and have been doing for many
years and suddenly learn something totally new is remarkable. It sets an
example for people with maybe less exciting careers, and if they’d change their
career or even just a method, they’d be better off.
The last, and possibly
most valiant theme told in Wherever I
Wind Up was courage. Dickey showed an immense amount of courage time and
time again. Even his transition as described earlier took loads of courage.
Courage can be hard to come by especially during difficult times; however, R.A.
Dickey was able to channel his passion and exhibit great amounts of courage.
Times where Dickey showed his courage were during parts of his baseball career
where he was in a tight spot during a game and was able to battle his way out. It
showed athletic skill, but more importantly it showed the courage to not fold under
pressure.
Wherever I Wind Up was an inspiring book and quite unforgettable.
It told the tale of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey and his rise from
nothing into one of the most respectable athletes and people around. It
exemplified numerous universal character traits; traits that are vital not just
for athletes but for the ordinary person as well. Inside every professional
athlete is an ordinary person. Even though it can at times be hard to believe,
these people are just like us and come from all backgrounds. It is people like
R.A. Dickey who truly exemplify that inside every rags-to-riches athlete is a
remarkable person.
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