In-depth with our sports seniors
Matthew Burke: Overcoming adversity Matthew Burke was always overcoming adversity in the game of baseball. In his final year of Little League, he did not make the A all-star team and was put on the B squad. Determined to prove himself he was one of the better players, Burke turned to hard work and determination.
Matthew Burke: Overcoming adversity
Derek Gibbons, Sports Editor
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Matthew Burke was always overcoming adversity in the game of
baseball. In his final year of Little League, he did not make the
“A” all-star team and was put on the “B”
squad. Determined to prove himself he was one of the better
players, Burke turned to hard work and determination.
“They ended up making and winning states,” said Burke,
“and they actually had a game on ESPN once. All my friends
were on the team and I was upset I didn’t make it. It only
pushed me more to get better.”
Pushing to get better was exactly what Burke did. He made his
freshman team in high school, but then as a sophomore, he was
brought up to the varsity team. All emotions being mixed into one,
he was nervous and excited at the same time to get the opportunity
to play at a higher level of competition.
In his first game as a varsity player, he was asked to play a
position he had never played before: shortstop.
“The varsity shortstop was hurt, so the coach put me in
there,” said Burke. “I never played short before, so I
was nervous.”
Burke continued to progress in the game and before he knew it, it
was senior year of high school and he was captain of his team.
Burke was not finished there as he still had more to prove to
himself and to others. He wanted to compete in the next level of
competition and that was college ball.
In the Bridgewater Showcase, Burke put on a show for the scouts as
he would homer to left field in the game, sparking some interest
from coaches in the stands, including Coach Tom Rizzo of the
College. With word from Rizzo, Puleri would recruit Burke to
play.
Getting into Endicott, Colby Sawyer, UNH, and Eckerd College,
Burke chose MCLA because it was his greatest opportunity to play
the sport he enjoyed most.
“The only reason I came to MCLA was to play baseball,”
said Burke.
MCLA was a place for Burke to shine, and shine he did in his
freshman year, as once again he was facing adversity in the
face.
The team traveled down to Florida like they do every spring break
and Burke was ready for the stiff competition. With the
team’s designated hitter hurt, Burke was given the
opportunity to show what he had and he did not disappoint. In his
first start of the year, he went 2-3 and showed promise in the
young season. Puleri took notice and placed Burke back into the
line up in the following games with Burke continuing to rake at the
plate. In a game against Bowdoin College, he would come up big and
hit his first career home run on a fastball that he pulled over the
left field fence.
“I was surprised,” said Burke. “I had only hit
one other homerun in my life before. I am not a home run
hitter.”
Now a senior in college, he looks back and reflects on where he
learned and first played the game of baseball with his father in
the backyard.
“My dad introduced me to the game,” Burke said.
“He would hit me ground balls and fly balls in the backyard.
He was always there when I wanted to play.”
Burke first played when he was seven years old on a tee-ball team.
Watching the bigger kids in little league was something Burke
admired. He followed around the little league all-stars when they
made their run to the Little League World Series, almost as if he
were part of the team. That is when he fell in love with the
game.
As he grew older, it was his cousins next who he had admired. His
cousin, Kevin, went to the University of North Carolina and was
drafted out of college by the Detroit Tigers. With baseball running
in the blood of the family, Burke knew he was next in line for
greatness.
His mother was also a big part of Burke’s baseball career,
as she was his number one fan and attended all his games.
In one game, Burke got an inside fastball and turned on it and
ripped it out of play down by the third base side where his mother
was sitting. The ball missed his mom by inches and just missed
taking off her head.
“My mom always went to the games and supported me,”
Burke recalled. “Actually, now that I think about it, I
don’t think she’s ever missed a game, even after that
foul ball.”
With his first and last games approaching in the next couple of
weeks, he expects only the best out of himself, his coaches, and
most importantly his teammates.
“This is the best team we have had since I have been
here,” said Burke. “We should win MASCAC.”
Burke came into MCLA with a boatload of newcomers to the baseball
program. With the same players still on the team and looking at
their last season also, Burke thanks them and wants the best for
the in their senior season.
“I am looking forward to finishing on top with the guys I
came in with,” said Burke. “We have worked hard for
four years and we have been looking forward to this for a
while.”
