Curtis Pride was a professional baseball player who played for several teams during his career. He was born on December 17, 1968, in Washington D.C. and was deaf from birth. Despite this, he was an exceptional athlete and played baseball, basketball, and soccer in high school.
Pride attended the College of William and Mary, where he played baseball and was named the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year in 1988. He was then drafted by the New York Mets in the 10th round of the 1988 MLB draft.
Pride made his MLB debut with the Montreal Expos in 1993 and played for them until 1996. He then played for the Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, and the New York Yankees. He was primarily an outfielder and was known for his speed and defensive skills.
Throughout his career, Pride faced challenges due to his deafness. He relied on lip-reading and hand signals from coaches and teammates to communicate on the field. He also had an interpreter with him at all times during interviews and meetings.
Despite these challenges, Pride had a successful career. He had a career batting average of .250 and stole 56 bases. He was also known for his clutch hitting and was often used as a pinch hitter.
Off the field, Pride was a strong advocate for the deaf community. He founded the Together With Pride Foundation, which provides support and resources for deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families. He also served as a spokesperson for the National Association of the Deaf and was a member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition.
After retiring from baseball in 2006, Pride became a coach and worked with several minor league teams. He also served as the head baseball coach at Gallaudet University, a college for the deaf and hard-of-hearing in Washington D.C.
Overall, Curtis Pride was a talented baseball player who overcame challenges due to his deafness. He had a successful career and was a strong advocate for the deaf community both on and off the field.
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