50 Baseball Stories in 50 States - ALABAMA from the America at the Seams Project

The following story was first published November 2017 in America at the Seams: 50 Stories in 50 States of How Baseball Unites Our Country.  The baseballs used to create the state artwork were obtained from Josh and assembled into a five foot wide map of the United States.  The project debuted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Library as part of the 29th Annual Cooperstown Symposium in 2017. 

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“It’s all a matter of attitude and perspective. Keep your head down and work as hard as you can.”

“Catch the ball with two hands.” That’s one of the first baseball mantras wannabe ball players hear when learning to play the game. Born without a left hand, Josh Stevens ignored this mantra and made an adjustment—and he’s been making them ever since. Josh Stevens is a senior at Vestavia Hills High School and is chasing baseball dreams. Learning to play ball with only one hand has required dogged perseverance, endless hours of hard work, and countless adjustments.

One thing baseball teaches all who play and love the game: life requires adjustments. “Baseball was pretty difficult in the beginning,” Josh said. “I really had to work at it, to learn how to do things using only one hand, to not give up.” As a pitcher with a fastball clocking in at over 80 miles per hour and a solid curveball, he’s a formidable opponent on the mound. Josh’s coach, Jamie Harris, admits to forgetting Josh’s disadvantage. “Josh wants no special treatment whatsoever,” said Coach Harris.

“Most days, we take it for granted and forget that he might need a few small accommodations, like in the weight room. And I have no idea how he ties his cleats. Josh is just one of the guys, comes from a great family, and is a great kid. He’s a really good ballplayer, too. I still don’t really know how he does it. He can throw a fastball in the mid 80s and then put on his glove in one motion. It seems to come naturally to him.” It’s no surprise that Jim Abbott was one of Josh’s earliest baseball heroes.

Abbott was born without a right hand and played ten years in the major leagues. Playing for the New York Yankees in 1993, Abbott threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. These days, Josh enjoys watching and learning from Chris Archer of the Tampa Bay Rays. After graduation, Josh plans on attending a junior college with hopes of transferring to a Division I school to play baseball. Along the way, he’ll pursue a degree in sports marketing and business, with visions of a good internship.

“It’s all a matter of attitude and perspective,” Josh says. “Keep your head down and work as hard as you can. Don’t let outside opinions influence you adversely. Success is definitely not going to be handed to you. But I listen to my parents and really trust God’s guidance. And any day I get an opportunity to throw is pretty awesome. Just don’t let anything hold you back.” Tommy Lasorda, the Hall of Fame manager, once said, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” Whether on the field or off, Josh Stevens is determined to succeed by making any adjustments necessary.

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We have created a limited-edition high-resolution artist grade canvas print depicting repurposed baseballs obtained from Josh Stevens. The print measures 14x20 in a floating frame and is made with UV protectant, fade-resistant archival inks for vibrant, long-lasting color.  The print comes expertly assembled in a warp-resistant 1.25" thick gallery-wrap and is assembled in the USA.  These come autographed by the Artist, Nathan Rueckert, and are individually numbered /250 total prints.  Click here for more information or to make a purchase.

Alabama 14x20 Floating Frame Fine Art Canvas Print LE/250 - $199.99