By doing that and being very competitive, the grown-ups started telling me even back before I started playing organized ball that I was too physical and too advanced for the kids my own age.

Back before I injured my hip, I thought going to the gym was for wimps.

In baseball, I was a pitcher, which I hated because there was no action there.

Football is easy if you're crazy as hell.

I taught myself how to pole vault in one day. The next day I entered a meet to pole vault and won it all for the state of Alabama.

But now, I get up every morning and go to the gym because I don't like waking up stiff or in pain and wondering if my hip is going to hurt me.

If I miss anything about the sport, it's the camaraderie of old teammates.