Fan Who Threw 96 MPH At In-Stadium Radar Booth Signed By Major League Team
By Bill Galluccio
August 2, 2019
Guys, we were just chillin at a @rockies baseball game, and my brother decided to step into a speed pitch challenge...he hit 96 mph 😳 @MLB Let’s get him signed! pic.twitter.com/g0fKrvUxzt
— Christian Patterson (@cpatterson_7) July 15, 2019
A baseball fan has a chance to live out his dream of playing for a major league team after showing off his impressive arm strength by hurling a baseball 96 MPH at a radar booth at Coors Field during a Colorado Rockies game.
Nathan Patterson and his brother were at a game on July 15 when he decided to test out his arm strength. After throwing a few balls in the low 90s, he let one rip and hit 96 on the radar gun. A few weeks later, he signed a contract with the Oakland Athletics.
That wasn't the first time Patterson lit up the radar gun. Last summer, he managed to hit 96 MPH while he was at a minor league game. That caught the attention of the Athletics. Patterson, who hadn't played baseball since high school, started training and was making progress when he injured his wrist in a car accident. He didn't let the accident hold him back and continued to rehab. He stayed in contact with the Athletics and joined a rec league once his left wrist had healed.
A few days after his impressive showing Colorado, Patterson received a call from the A's with the good news.
"Words cannot describe this feeling and I cannot thank everyone enough who has been part of this journey so far," Patterson wrote on Instagram. "My family has given me nothing but constant love and support throughout the last 9 months as I pursue a dream of mine that I've had since I was a little kid. It's been a roller coaster to get here with many challenges and overcoming adversity. For those who tell you that you can't achieve your dreams, use that as fuel to work even harder. Because those people are the ones that settle."