Daniel Norris decision details |
From Johnson City Press:
Norris struck out for Broyles Field, Science Hill’s on-campus practice field, where he saved one sacred spot of solitude for his old stomping grounds. “I went on the field and just sat on the pitcher's mound for about 45 minutes and prayed and just thought and talked to God for a while tonight,” Norris said in a phone interview that began at 2:16 a.m. “I felt like that helped me a lot. It was around 10:30ish.” An hour later, his professional career had taken flight as a Toronto Blue Jay. Norris signed for a reported $2 million, concluding a 5 1/2 month roller-coaster that included a somewhat disappointing senior season and an emotionally grueling MLB draft in June. But the ride concluded with a wide smile on Norris’ face. “Gosh, it was so – not stressful – but just more anxious and ready for it to be over,” Norris said. “I was just very excited to see what God had in store for me.” “I got the call and they gave the offer, so I just came back in and told everybody,” Norris said. “When I told them, we all, like, simultaneously – my dad was like 'Let's say a prayer’ – and we all got in a group hug and said a prayer and just thanked God for everything, first of all, just thanking him and realizing what he's done and how evident he is in that process. “Then we did individual hugs, and what a sense of relief you felt throughout the whole room. You could just feel it being lifted. It's just been a great night for us.”
It was difficult to feel in control while waiting to see if he was going to become a Toronto Blue Jay or Clemson Tiger, so Norris went where he’s in control – in prayer on a pitcher’s mound. Less than two hours before the clock would have struck midnight on Toronto’s signing rights, Norris’ advisor told him it might be a wild finish.
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