Essay about George Springer

George Springer is a 31 year old baseball player, born and raised in Connecticut. He is the current lead-off hitter and centre fielder for the Toronto Blue Jays. He was drafted in 2011 by the Houston Astros and played for them until 2020, when the Blue Jays signed him for $150m for 6 years. He married former softball player Charlise Castro in 2018, and celebrated his first Father’s Day this past June. 

A leader on and off the field

A good athlete is someone who is knowledgeable, and very skilled at their sport. However, a great athlete is someone who is always eager to learn more, being observant of their teammates and colleagues around them. George Springer does just that. He has said multiple times that he is always open to discuss with his team and even ask the younger core of players for help. The team has also expressed how Springer is always happy to do the same for them. He is one of the most experienced players in the lineup, including 7 Major League seasons and a World Series title, but he doesn’t act as though he’s better or more important than anyone else. 

In early 2020, Springer and the Houston Astros were caught cheating in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. George has since then apologized for him and his teams actions. He said, “I regret everything. I regret that we were in this situation.” The Astros did offer him a one-year $18.9m deal to return, but George decided that he didn’t want to be part of the organization after everything, so he went to Toronto instead, where he could get a fresh start and regain the trust of baseball fans. 

George has had a stutter since he was young, causing issues in his confidence and self-esteem. Now as a professional athlete and always being in the spotlight, he has learned to embrace himself and try to help others. He is a spokesperson for the Stuttering Association for the Young (SAY), and used to have fundraiser events in Houston for kids to meet him and others like them. He has expressed that he is no longer afraid to talk to the media and potentially stutter on camera. 

Traits to emulate

First, Georges excitement to try new things and step out of his comfort zone is really refreshing. Athletes are known to have specific routines and even superstitions, but Springer did not let that stop him from moving to a whole new country. He had been with the same franchise since he was 22 (in the minor and major leagues), but he was thrilled to play with a whole new group of guys and had faith that they could win together. And they did, since their record is 29-20 with Springer in the lineup. 

Next, I admire his resilience. George has been on the Injured List 3 times this year (oblique, quad, knee). He has missed 85 of the 147 games already played this season, but he has 4 more home runs (17) than the average player. His resilience also relates to how he combats the hate that comes from the mistakes he made with Houston. In almost every ballpark he plays in (except for Toronto and Houston), Springer is booed and heckled before every at-bat. However, he doesn’t let any of it hold him back from playing his best. 

Lastly, it’s clear that he is a confident leader, he knows what he’s doing and what he’s talking about. Often times, people will adopt the “fake-it-til-you-make-it” policy, which doesn’t always work the best. Especially on an athletic team, a leader needs to be someone who knows what they’re doing, and isn’t afraid. Springer is constantly in the public eye, but he has learned to stay calm. So many people want him to fail and have given up on him (because of the cheating scandal or being injury prone), but he truly believes in himself. George knows that he is a great ball player and is never afraid to be genuine about his feelings.