50 Baseball Stories in 50 States - ARIZONA 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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ALL-STAR AMPUTEE

Dave learned how to play the game his way, and he became good. So good that people noticed.

Though he stands only three feet two inches tall, Dave Stevens has the heart of a giant on and off the field. As a congenital amputee, Dave doesn’t have legs. But that hasn’t stopped him from getting noticed on the baseball field.

“Growing up, all my friends played baseball. There weren’t any adaptive sports or programs at that time, so I had to either figure out a way to play ball with my friends or be stuck on the sideline. I really didn’t want to be on the sideline.” 

Dave’s first experience on the ball field resulted in a pop fly that bloodied his nose. This drove him to practice, spending countless hours improving as a hitter, runner, and fielder. Dave learned how to play the game his way, and he became good. So good that people noticed.

“Honestly, it was pretty cool not getting picked last for the teams,” Dave says.

During his senior year in high school, while playing against a rival school in a conference game, Dave came to bat with the bases loaded. His team was losing.

“All of a sudden, this guy in the stands just started screaming at me, ‘Cheat! This isn’t fair! What’s he doing here?’”

Because of his stature, pitchers found it difficult to throw strikes to Dave. To this day, Dave still holds the Arizona state high school record for most career walks as well as most walks in a single season. The irony of a man walking without legs can be found only in baseball.

“My coach told me to get in the box, so I did. The first pitch was in the dirt and the guy in the stands kept screaming, being obnoxious and offensive. The second pitch was right above my head, right in my sweet spot, and I absolutely crushed it. We scored three runs and took the lead. As I got to first base, I spun around and pointed at the guy and shouted back at him, ‘That’s what I’m here for!’ I let him have it and didn’t hold back.

“Almost immediately, my coach came running across the field and yelled at me to get in the dugout. I was confused, but did as he said. ‘Dave, I’m proud of you, but when you turned around and screamed at that guy, you lowered yourself to his standard. You became that same kind of bully. You ruined the power of the moment of letting your actions be your words.’

“I’ve since learned the power of rising above those who say I can’t and showing my abilities by what I do more than what I say. I don’t need to flip a bat or showboat. I just always play hard.”

Dave’s relentless passion and gritty hustle earned him playing time with the St. Paul Saints. To this day, Dave Stevens is the only athlete to play minor league baseball without legs. He even pinch-hit for Darryl Strawberry, one of the few players to ever have that honor.

“It’s like an episode of The Simpsons come to life,” he jokes.

Dave’s accomplishments and lessons learned on the field translated into successes off the field. Dave has since worked for ESPN, earning seven Sports Emmy awards. He now travels the country sharing his story as well as working on behalf of the Wounded Warriors Amputee Team.

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Today, Dave Stevens travels the country as a motivational speaker encouraging others to achieve their dreams.  He has worked in television for over 40 years including 20 years at ESPN, winning 7 Sports Emmys. You can learn more about Dave on his website here.   

We have created a limited-edition high-resolution artist grade canvas print depicting repurposed baseballs obtained from our Arizona story, Dave Stevens. The print measures 16x20 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.

SHOP ARIZONA FINE ART CANVAS PRINT HERE