Baseball is hard. Though his career numbers since his debut in 2016 might suggest it’s somewhat easy for him, Trevor Story knows he’s been through the valley as much as he’s been on the mountaintop.
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The Colorado Rockies shortstop says his faith is what helps him stay positive during the course of a grueling baseball season.
“I was thinking about it the other day and I was like, ‘I don’t know how you play baseball without being a Christian and having that strong faith,’ just because this game is so demanding and it’s built on failure,” Story said last week on Sports Spectrum’s “Table Forty” podcast with Matt and Leslee Holliday. “You’re going to fail many more times than you succeed. That is kind of similar to life.”
Story’s seen plenty of success so far in his young career, though. He was an All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner in 2018 and 2019, and he led the National League in steals last season.
This season, though, has been a mixed bag. After a cold start offensively in 2021, Story began to heat up in May to bring his batting average to .257 with five home runs and eight stolen bases, before heading to the injured list on May 28 with elbow inflammation. He returned to action Thursday night and went 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.
He said on the podcast that whether he struggles or has success, he tries to be the same person no matter what.
“I think that’s really rooted in my faith, being in the Word,” Story said. “I think we all need to be in the Word more than we are. That’s a challenge of mine that I really try to do.”
As a child, Story took notice of how his grandfather, Darrel Story, lived his life. He said his grandfather, who passed away in 2012, was the closest person he’s known who lived the most like Jesus.
He also watched his mother, Teddie, and his father, Ken, serve others through their jobs and instill in him the qualities of a Christian man. Teddie worked at a local food pantry while Ken was a fireman and paramedic. Trevor said he didn’t realize at the time the magnitude of what they were doing to help others.
“I think later on, the older I get, the more I realize how special it was to have two parents do it the way they did,” Story said. “I think it had a huge impact on me and I certainly still carry that impact today.”
Story has taken that same attitude of service with him and has used his platform to help others. Last week, he and Blue Jays star George Springer partnered to make a joint $150,000 contribution to the “Grow the Game” fund, which seeks to provide financial assistance and opportunities to Black and underprivileged youth athletes who want to play baseball or softball in their communities.
“It’s extremely important to break down the barriers that have kept Black and underprivileged kids from pursuing a career in baseball,” Story said in a news release. “These funds will go towards helping kids from impoverished communities participate in programs that would normally be outside their financial means.”
Great cause and announcement today by George Springer, @Tstory2 and @PerfectGameUSA. @BlueJays @Rockies @PlayBall pic.twitter.com/xUXxkdpC75
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) May 26, 2021
In 2019, Story partnered with the T-shirt company Giving Sole to buy brand-name shoes for kids in foster care who, according to its website, “have never known what it’s like to have new shoes like their peers.”
Story has also used his social media platforms to praise healthcare workers and other frontline workers fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. He wrote a nurse’s name on paper and placed it in the back of his Rockies jersey and included the message, “Always thinking of #TheRealHeroes like our dear friend Lori De La Torre. Thank you for your bravery and sacrifice to help keep everyone safe and healthy. We love you!”
There’s no question that Story loves baseball, but at the end of the day, he goes back to the daily time he spends with God to make sure his identity isn’t wrapped up in his career, but rather in who God says he is.
“I always find myself after those times in the Word and studying,” Story said on the podcast. “I always come away with that sense of calm and peace to where I realize that baseball doesn’t define who I am. It’s hard to accept that because this is our job and this is my biggest passion. We put so much time into it that sometimes those lines can get blurred between what truly is my purpose here.”
He added, “We make a living off of this, but this isn’t the end-all be-all. I think having those good reminders and having that faith is huge and it’s the thing that keeps me going, no doubt.”
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