Jared Porter got me the internship that changed everything.
We shared a fleeting correspondence more than a decade ago that led me where I am today. That is to say, unemployed and nearly broke, freezing my ass off in Vermont. But fairly content at the moment, all things considered, with a loving wife and grumpy old dog sleeping soundly down the hall.
Let’s put it this way: I may not be rich, but I’m definitely having a better night than Jared Porter.
But really, he and I had a brief email exchange 13 years ago, the result of which was a summer internship with the Brewster Whitecaps. If not for that little exchange, I’m not sure where I’d be today, or what I’d have done with the last 12 years of my life.
Let me back up a bit.
The summer prior to those emails – the summer of 2007 – owing to my white privilege, I worked for the Red Sox. Kinda. I actually worked across the street for Fenway Sports Group (now Fenway Sports Management), but I did have a key to Fenway Park.
I was handed the opportunity. The door was thrown wide open for me thanks to my dad’s connections. And while it would be a lie to say I made the most of the opportunity, I didn’t screw it up, either, and walked away with some good relationships of my own. I gained some incredibly valuable baseball and business experience, and it was just an incredible experience all around.
Following that dream of a summer job I went back to Colorado to finish school. During my final semester I contacted a former FSG coworker and informed him of my desire/plan to spend the upcoming summer working (interning, as it turned out) in the Cape Cod league. Could he help?
He put me in touch with Porter, who had started his career on the Cape with the Brewster Whitecaps. WIkipedia can confirm.
I spent that summer of 2008 with the Whitecaps doing a bit of everything. Everything except broadcasting. The duo of Nick Gagalis and Graham Doty had that covered. They were great. And I drooled at the thought of someday doing that myself.
The following spring came around, and, lacking a better plan, I phoned up Nick and asked what he thought about the idea of expanding to a three man booth. He was open to the idea. So was Graham.
Thank God Nick was also open to my follow up idea, that maybe I stay at his place for the beginning of the season since I didn’t really have a plan in the housing department yet. Nick’s truly a one-of-a-kind great guy. And somebody I owe so much more of my “career” to than Jared Porter. Old Saint Nick, he’s a topic for another day.
Anyway, I spent that 2009 season broadcasting with Nick and Graham and I haven’t stopped since.
It was also in the summer of 2009 that I finally got to meet Jared Porter – at the CCBL All-Star game at Fenway..
The Whitecaps broadcast team didn’t get to call the game, but we recorded interviews, took some photos and generally had a great day. I slipped away for a few innings to catch up with former FSG colleagues, and that was when I finally met Porter. By that time I had no interest in player development. I was all in on broadcasting, but I still wanted to thank him in person for getting me set up in Brewster the previous year.
We were in the EMC Club, above home plate. And it turned out to be an incredibly disappointing moment. One I remember vividly. He looked distracted as I approached, as if he’d rather be anywhere in the world than where he was, trapped in the center of the room, being set up to meet me. He barely shook my hand, didn’t really make eye contact with me, and moved on. I was left a little stunned, not used to being so totally big leagued.
In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have taken it so hard. I guess I just wasn’t his type.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks