Recently, I interviewed David Clyde, a former baseball phenom, whose path to success was delayed and altered, but never abandoned.  Clyde’s pro career never quite flourished, but he is enjoying success while helping others succeed.

In 1973, at the age of 18, Clyde won his major league debut.  Clyde was poised to become a star, mere months after a stellar high school pitching career.  The Texas Rangers, who had made him the No. 1 draft pick, planned to use this star for success in the standings and in attendance.

Unfortunately, plans don’t always work out.  Clyde encountered some arm trouble and poor management within the Rangers organization.  There were accusations and questions. Surprisingly (and very refreshingly), Clyde doesn’t really care about negative questions, but he is by no means a Pollyanna.

“You can’t change the past, but you can learn from it and move forward,” explains Clyde.

Clyde hasn’t just moved forward, he is paying it forward, too.  Clyde retired from baseball in 1981, at the age of 26.  After years in the lumber business, Clyde settled in as a coach at the Miracles Baseball Academy in Houston.

He views his job as not only teaching the kids but protecting them as well.  He tries “to give them every opportunity for success, while [Clyde is] absorbing all of the pressure.”  Clyde knows about pressure.  Having jumped from high school to the big leagues, he felt his “talent had to make that jump also.”  He tries to teach his pupils to stay within themselves and not overdo it. This is merely one of the lessons Clyde passes on to his students.

“My goal is to steer kids in the right direction, give them the proper fundamental base, and hopefully they can enjoy the game better,” Clyde professes.

While Clyde doesn’t blame anyone for the path his career took, he does acknowledge that a better infrastructure within baseball would have helped.  Whenever a very young player is rushed to the professional level of any sport, people often bring up Clyde’s name, and he is happy about that.  Clyde hopes they realize they screwed up with him and that they will watch out for the new youngsters better.

Clyde is very committed to his students.  He knows they rely on him, and he is happy to be there for them.  He does all he can to prepare them for whatever the future holds.

What does David Clyde want for his future?  “Good health, a happy life, and I hope to continue passing on to kids what I have been passing on,” he says (although he does admit he wouldn’t mind being 20 years younger and making $23 million per year).

While Clyde won’t be signing that contract anytime soon, he will be adding “Hall of Fame” to his signature.  Tonight, at the Marriott on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Clyde will be inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame.  Clyde’s career will not be immortalized in bronze at Cooperstown, but his imprint is left on every student he teaches.

–John Wroblewski, distribution specialist