Pride conquers hearing defect
by Bill Nichols
The road to the major leagues has had its share of chuckholes for Harrisburg outfielder Curtis Pride, but a hearing impairment has never been one of them.
Pride has been unable to hear without a hearing aid since birth.
"I don't consider it a handicap," Pride said yesterday before the game between the Canton-Akron Indians and the Senators at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadim.
The Senators' Cliff Floyd hit a two-run homer and left-hander Gabe White (5-1) scattered five hits as Harrisburg defeated the Indians, 2-0.
Pride, who is in his eighth year in the minor leagues, was with the New York Mets for seven seasons after being drafted out of high school in 1986. He joined the Montreal Expos this season as a six-year free agent. And he is having his finest season as a professional.
Pride, 24, is batting .341. He has hit 13 home runs, has driven in 32 runs and has 21 stolen bases. Never before, in either Class A or AA, has he hit .300 or higher.
"Everything is coming together this year," said Pride. "Jim Tracy (Harrisburg manager) has worked with me. I'm much more consistent in getting contact. I keep my front shoulder square and take a shorter swing.
"I'm having fun and as long as I have fun every day and I don't worry about what others are saying."
Pride was born deaf because his mother, Sallie, had a form of German measles called rubella, during pregnancy.
Pride was a standout in basketball and baseball in high school in Washington, D.C. He earned a basketball scholarship to William & Mary and graduated with a degree in finance.
"I had it in my contract (with the Mets) that I could play basketball in college," said Pride.
Pride can understand what others are saying when they look directly at him. And, he has had no problems in professional baseball because of his hearing impairment. "My other senses are more sensitive," he said. "Smell, feel, and seeing are much sharper because of my hearing.
"I communicate very well with my teammates. I'm just one of the guys in the clubhouse.
"In the outfield, when I call for the ball it's automatically my ball. My hearing aid helps, but sometimes I have trouble hearing the crack of the bat.
"I've never been involved in a collision (in a game), but I had a funny thing happen two years ago with the Mets in spring training.
"I got hit by a pitch in my helmet. The umpire said it hit my bat. I was frustrated and went over to the umpire and pulled his mask off his face. I tried to read his lips, but suddenly I let go of the mask and it popped his face. He tossed me, but let me back in the game when he understood. It just happened. Looking back, it's funny."
Although he grew up in Washington, D.C., Pride's father, John, is from Youngstown and his mother is from Zanesville.
This article originally appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer
June 17, 1993
Reproduced by permission.