James Dour

Once again, it’s morning in America. And bells ring out across our vast nation once more. The citizens of our country praised Reagan for a reason. Years earlier, he asked his team to win one for the Gipper. And Notre Dame became epitomized in the record books. They even put Miami in their place in ‘88; resulting in the famed Catholics vs Convicts contest. I know what you’re thinking; how does this relate with me? Or with baseball? Nothing necessarily. You’ll need to forgive me. I sound like a chatterbox most of the time. If there’s anything you can take away from me, know I try to be more of a listener than a talker. Just bear with me and maybe you won’t become too bored. I certainly don’t want you to suffer from ennui. I know it’s early in the morning because the chimes I hear in the distance are from my local post office. They ring out every hour of the day and night, and they are music to just about anybody’s ears. Seven in the morning though isn’t the ideal time for me to wake up. My dad though doesn’t seem to care as he knocks on my door. “Damon today’s the day. Time to open up your eyes now. You’re not gonna like what comes next otherwise.” “Leave me alone. I’m sleeping.” The next thing I know he opens the door, and ice-cold water is thrust upon me. “DAD! What the Hell?!” “There, you just showered. Now dress yourself.” My bed’s soaking wet, therefore my only choice is to roll out from under the covers. “You slept in your boxers?” “My clothes made me feel too hot last night.” “Well, the draft is today and the TV crew is gonna be here soon. Move it.” Once I made it into the shower, I realized my shampoo bottle reached its expiration date. Luckily, another one rested next to the sink. I quickly moved the curtains out of the way and banged my foot on the edge of the counter. Why couldn’t I stay in bed? After my shower, I put on my Old Spice deodorant and checked myself in the mirror to look for any pimples on my face. Next, I pulled out my favorite suit and tie from the closet and wished for a chauffeur to appear magically and do the top button for me. Dad sometimes came to my rescue for the occasion and even lent me his old comb to tidy up my hair too. I preferred my comb though since it distinguished me from every other bachelor and gave me the same look as McNulty from The Wire. After ten minutes, I finally headed down the stairs and saw the light switch in the wrong direction. I flipped them up and heard the loudest ‘Surprise’ of my life. My family, neighbors, friends, and classmates certainly startled me slightly. Today’s not my birthday, although there’s a big reason to celebrate. I’m joining the ranks of Major League Baseball. The draft starts in a few hours and with all the pressure growing and building inside of me, at least I can revel with everyone who means a damn. As far as I can remember, I loved the game of baseball going back to when I played it as a youngster. Baseball brought passion out of me and made my life feel completely new again. Even when I studied during school, I thought about the sport when my classmates talked about how they wanted to become doctors and astronauts, and architects. My best friends Dan and Lindsay dreamed of being superheroes. Dan wanted to be The Marvelous Incognito and Lindsay wanted to be the first Fairy Princess to save the universe. Granted, they needed to grow up faster than me at some point. In time, Dan became a chef and Lindsay became a real estate agent. I knew Dan wanted to give customers a tasteful experience whenever they visited and Lindsay wanted to be a role model since I first met her. And she saw nothing better to do with her life than to help families find a home at a modest price as a real estate agent. Every time she’s received clients, Lindsay’s made sure to help with restructuring their finances to ensure their mortgage rates remained fair, honest, and reasonable.

Hello There. And Thank You For Your Consideration. The Act of Story Statement Damon Matthews, an up and coming shortstop, wants to become a legend in Major League Baseball. He faces numerous hurdles on his path towards ultimate success such as the minor leagues. The Antagonist Plots the Point Damon feels that his minor league coach, Carlton Wells, is attempting to break him emotionally, psychologically, and physically. An intimidating force at times, Carlton Wells wants to push his players as far as they are willing and able to go. If Damon wants to get to Major League Baseball, he will have to prove to his coach that he belongs. At the end of the day, Carlton Wells wants his players to succeed, but his methods and drills are not for the fainthearted. Conjuring Your Breakout Title Damon Matthews Living On Dreams Chasing The Show Deciding Your Genre and Approaching Comparables Genre: Coming of Age/Young Adult Damon Matthews has already graduated from college and started out on his journey for bigger and better things in the real world, where anything goes. Comparables to my narrative: “Friday Night Lights” This story of mine could almost be in the same league and world as Friday Night Lights. While it delves into the life of a baseball player and not a football player, sports is at the center of this tale. “The Natural” Damon Matthews may not be anything like Roy Hobbs, but he does have a story to tell. Damon Matthews truly wants to become something more of himself. He’s arrogant at times and a show-off, but he has a strong heart nonetheless. Core Wound and the Primary Conflict Hook Line: Damon Matthews, a newly christened minor league shortstop, starts out on his baseball journey wanting to become a legend, idolized by the masses. Main Conflict: Damon Matthews’ urgency to attain future success and fame in baseball make him go all out. If and when he gets to The Show, will he be able to stay there and not risk facing the prospect of being sent back down. Through and through, he has the skill and talents to excel, but he must gradually up high numbers and stats on a daily basis. Just like a stock broker trying to earn commission from quotas and sales, this hot-shot shortstop wants to eventually earn more green and blank checks he can fill out himself. Other Matters of Conflict: Two More Levels Damon believes he needs to continuously prove he belongs in this profession. Willing to sacrifice his body and soul for this game, he won’t accept failure at any cost. And he wants to honor his deceased mom by succeeding at the game he loves. At the same time, he feels conflicted with his newfound feelings with a woman he meets. She is the sister of one of his teammates, and he doesn’t want to ruin his friendship with his new teammate. And Damon’s girlfriend back home is special to him, and he doesn’t want to ruin what he’s got with her either. The Incredible Importance of Setting Setting: The setting is mainly in the present day town of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Damon Matthews plays for the West Michigan Whitecaps and whenever they’re not playing home games, they’re constantly traveling by bus across the Midwest to face off with their rivals and opponents. During the offseason, Damon returns home to the Twin Cities of Minnesota to recuperate and prepare for the following season. He also visits cities such as Chicago and St. Louis throughout the story. This setting runs parallel to our real world, but touches it as closely as it possibly can.