As we left episode 3, Cole Uvila was unhappy with himself. After his promotion to Advanced-A, with the Down East Wood Ducks of the Carolina League, he had started well. But through the bulk of May he had some struggles. After giving up just the second homer of his professional career early in the month, he went through a stretch of five straight appearances in which he allowed at least one run.
But when he took a moment to examine his season, and his pro career as a whole, he realized that things weren't quite as devastating as he'd thought.
“And I looked and I was like sheesh, all in all if you had told me in a year after I got drafted I'd be in High-A with and done what I've done, I kind of like, 'this isn't as bad as it feels,'" Cole says. "And I was just like, if this month, which had felt like it was the worst I'd pitched ever, has resulted in this, then like I said it's not that bad. It's not career-ending.”
Meanwhile, back in Washington, Cole’s father Steve had been deep in a transition of his own – he was getting back into the hobby he loved – drag racing. He had given up his sporting passion in order to help Cole shoot for his dream, but now he had time for racing again. He had bought one of his old cars back from a buddy who’d held onto it for 27 years – yes, the car pre-dated Cole. Steve started tuning it up, taking it to the track again.
“It's a white 1967 Camaro called Thumper. And it's got 'Thumper' down the side of it and a big rabbit painted on it." Steve says. "It's kinda old school cool and a lot of the kids love it. It's known around and whatnot. It's been a race car since 1971, so it's got history.”
The car has history, just as racing is a part of Steve’s history, and in a way, Cole’s, too. And that history is complex and runs deep. It involves a decision Steve made years ago. A decision that changed everything, though, as we’ll find out, not forever. Sometimes, things can come full circle.
That’s what happened on June 2, 2019.
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