“Hammerberg”

He was absolutely superior to everyone else in every way. He was easily 5-inches taller than just about all other players. He outweighed the next biggest by at least 20, maybe 25, pounds. He hit the ball harder and farther, he ran faster, he threw harder, and he was easily the best fielder in the league, as well. Jason Steinberg was, without a doubt, the best of the best. They called him “Hammerberg”.

Born on the first day of March, 1971, in Northbrook, Illinois, Jason Steinberg came into this world at 12-pounds, 7-ounces. He started off big and got bigger. His father, Joel Steinberg, always bragged that Jason was born on the first day of Spring Training. He started walking at 7-months while others started at 12. His teeth started coming in at 3 months. He said his first words, “too much garlic,” at 6 months. And on his first birthday, Dad presented him with a Wiffle ball and bat. A gift that would change Jason’s childhood.

Jason clinged to that bat like other kids would hold a teddy bear or a safety blanket. He went nowhere without it. While friends of the Steinbergs were calling him “Bam Bam,” because of the similarity to the cartoon character and his prehistoric club, Jason’s father insisted that his nickname should be “The Hammer” because “Bam Bam” was taken and not original. Legend has it that when a cousin mentioned to Mr. Steinberg that “Hammer” was also Hank Aaron’s nickname, said cousin was blacklisted from all future family reunions. Slowly, “Hammerberg” replaced “The Hammer” as the nickname of choice.

Fast forward. The first time Jason stepped up to the plate his father was standing on the first base side yelling, “Keep your eye on the ball ‘Hammerberg’!” He was clapping and yelling louder than anyone at the game by at least 100-decibels. And then came the swing that bore a legend. The ball sailed over the heads of the outfielders, and all 7 of them retreated to chase the ball down. The 7 infielders turned and chased the outfielders. And the pitcher sprinted to the third base line to ask her mother for a sip of her Diet Coke. And with a smile and a skip in his run, “Hammerberg” circled the bases as the new Tee-Ball King.

While your average 5-year old is about 3-feet 8-inches, Jason was 4-feet 2-inches. With the average 5-year old weighing in at 45 pounds, “Hammerberg” weighed 70. Not to mention his speed was off the charts. He was as fast as an 8-year old, running a 7.3 second 40-yard dash (the average 5-year old runs it in 8.2 seconds).

That season he went on to bat 1.000, with 43 home runs out of 48 at-bats. A record that will undoubtedly never be broken. He also led the league in remembering which base to run to after hitting the ball. Of the 48 at-bats, “Hammerberg” remembered to run to first base 43 times (although all 48 at bats were considered actual hits). Of the 5 times he did not run to first base after hitting the ball, 3 times he chased the ball (simply forgetting the game rules) and twice he just went to the dugout area sulking and sat down. Jason tells us on that particular day (both of those at-bats were in the same game) he was very upset with his father because he was missing a friend’s birthday party that conflicted with the game. He said he really liked that friend (whose name he does not recall) and wanted to go to the party.

At the age of 6, just days before the start of the 1977 Tee-Ball season, Jason was injured in a bad Duck Duck Goose accident and missed the ‘77 season. 1976 turned out to be the first and last year that “Hammerberg” would play Tee-Ball. Later in 1977, Jason was given an Atari 2600 home video game system and never participated in organized sports again. Jason is now an Assistant Manager at Staples (he asked us not to say where to protect his anonymity).

Jason tells us, “It was one dumb year of Tee-Ball. My dad treats it like I played major league baseball. Seriously! Every baseball season all I hear about is how I would have been the greatest baseball player ever. My father is delusional. Honest to God. I was the most uncoordinated kid EVER! I think I failed Gym Class every year. Honestly. I was the first one that everyone threw the dodgeball at. I was the last one picked for every sport. If you talk to my dad, he speaks of me like I was an Olympian. Whatever the absolute opposite of an athlete is, that is what I am.”

So heartfelt. So unpretentious. So modest. And would you expect anything other than something so humble from the one known as “Hammerberg”? I think not… I think not.