I Felt the Cheers

For baseball fans, readers of motivational stories, and especially those with disabilities and their parents, the powerful and inspiring story of Curtis Pride, the deaf baseball star who overcame the odds to reach the major leagues, becoming an award-winning player and advocate for inclusivity in sports.

Foreword by National Baseball Hall of Fame Member Cal Ripken, Jr.

On the night of his major league debut in Montreal in 1993, Curtis Pride made his first hit to a standing ovation from the crowd of 45,000 fans. Profoundly deaf since birth, Pride couldn't hear their thunderous applause. But as the cheers grew louder and more insistent, he realized he was feeling those vibrations within his chest-an undeniable acknowledgement of an extraordinary achievement.

Pride went on to play in 420 more major league games over ten different seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and New York Yankees. He was then selected as baseball coach at Gaillaudet, the world's leading university for deaf students, and has received countless national and local awards for his achievements and his service in inspiring and educating others.

With candor, warmth, and humor, Pride writes from the heart in I Felt the Cheers. From the first time he played T-ball at age six and got a couple of hits, he dreamed of playing in the major leagues. No matter how unlikely it seemed, or how much skepticism he faced from teammates or coaches, Pride stayed resolute. Far from being a disadvantage, he came to see that his deafness could sometimes be a secret weapon, forcing him to use senses that other players take for granted.

Curtis's personal journey is unique, but his message is a powerful, universal one, sure to resonate deeply with everyone who has faced difficult challenges. I Felt the Cheers is living proof that dreams can come true, no matter how impossible they seem.