Kerry Robinson, a 34th-round draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals, made it to the major leagues with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays late last season.
Kerry Robinson is living out his dream as a professional baseball player and some day hopes to become a major-league star.
But Robinson has known all along how fickle the life of a professional athlete can be, particularly one who has not yet established himself in the big time. That's why he has always put education right up there with his love for baseball.
"Education has always been very important to me," he said. "My parents and my grandmother always stressed education to me. They were always on me and wouldn't let me play sports unless I did my school work.
"In fact, I still remember a funny story when I was in junior high. One winter, my grandma wouldn't let me go out and play hockey because I had gotten a bad grade. I was really mad at the time, but later, I realized she was right to put education first."
The lessons Robinson learned at an early age have apparently paid off. The St. Louis native was a standout baseball player at Southeast Missouri State University, hitting .385 as a senior in 1995.
He was a 34th round draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals -- his favorite team as a youngster -- and spent three years putting up good numbers in their minor-league system.
Then Robinson, an outfielder, was acquired by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the expansion draft. He again performed well in their minor-league system, hitting over .300 in Triple A this year. And, in September, Robinson was promoted to the major leagues for the final few games of the season, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
"It was something I had always dreamed about while I was growing up," he said. "To finally make it to the majors was something really special. And when I got called up, I got to play at Fenway Park in Boston and Yankee Stadium in New York. Those are two of the most historic stadiums in all of baseball."
But Robinson, who is currently playing in the Arizona Fall Instructional League, realizes how much more work he has to do in order to achieve his ultimate goal of being a full-time major-leaguer.
"I still haven't reached the point I want to be," said Robinson, who just a few days ago was acquired by the Seattle Mariners from the Devil Rays. "I still have so much work to do."
Although Robinson is considered one of the rising outfield stars in the minor leagues, he knows there is no guarantee that he'll ever be a fixture in the majors.
That's why, even after Robinson was drafted following his senior season at Southeast, he returned to school the following spring in order to earn his degree in sports management.
"It was really important that I get my degree," he said. "I didn't know if I would get a chance to go back (to school) in my later years, so I wanted to finish as soon as possible. Now, if things don't work out in baseball like I want them to, I have my degree, which nobody can take away from me."
Of course, Robinson is planning on becoming a regular in the major leagues and some day signing a big contract. For any youngster out there who wants to try and follow the career path Robinson has taken, he's got a few pieces of advice.
"Set goals and dreams," he said. "First, you have to believe you can do it yourself, and second, you have to be determined to work at it every day. Don't let anybody tell you you can't do it.
"And you have to sacrifice things to make it to the level you want to be at. There are some times you will have to turn down going to parties. I don't drink or smoke because I know I have to keep my body in the best condition possible."
Added Robinson, "But you can't bank on it (being a professional baseball player). You can't count on it. I was lucky I got drafted, but it might not have worked out that way. That's why education is so important."
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