Minor Leaguer Tatusko making a major difference

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Hailing from Noblesville, Ind., Ryan Tatusko always dreamed of playing professional baseball, saying “I have been playing baseball since I can remember. It has been a game that I have had a passion for since I was very little and I could never get enough of it.” Drafted in the 18^th round of the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft as a RHP by the Texas Rangers, Tatusko began his journey to making his dream a reality.

Starting in A- ball with the Spokane Indians in 2007, Tatusko has excelled on the field and is now playing AAA ball for the Syracuse Chiefs in the Washington Nationals system.  When asked about his favorite part of playing professionally, Tatusko spoke about the opportunity to travel and meet individuals he likely would not have had the chance to meet otherwise. Interacting with fans off the field as well through his Twitter and blog, Ryan has shown an incredible passion not only for the sport, but also for giving back to individuals and communities around him.

During the 2011 season, Tatusko could frequently be found helping out those around him. Although Ryan participated in many projects, he shared in an email about a few of his favorites:

“Some of my favorite [projects]  I did this year were going to a children’s hospital where I got to play with kids and be immersed in their environment for the day. [Their] afflictions ranged from broken arms to terminally ill, but for the day a couple of the guys  [and myself] went to the hospital and they became king/queen for the day and we did whatever it is they wanted to do. I love doing things for kids, because they have such genuineness about them that you can’t see anywhere else.  Anything that involves kids I try and get involved with right away. My other two favorite ones that I did this year both involve veterans. I got to go to a VA hospital with various veterans and meet with them and talk with them through the day, and being able to listen to their stories was incredible.  I only got to spend a few hours with them but it truly was an incredible experience. I also got to go to Fort Drum in New York with my AAA team and spend about 6-8 hours on base listening to and being immersed in what our soldiers do. Fort Drum, from my understanding, is one of the most deployed bases in all of the US, so to be able to listen to their stories and just thank them for doing their service was awesome. We got to sit and chat with them and they showed us all the of the divisions on the base and how each one is responsible for certain things like mortar teams, ground patrol, HumVee exploration etc.”

Ryan encourages anyone who wants to make a difference to get involved in any way they can, saying, “even if you think it is something that is so miniscule that nobody will notice still do it, because even those deeds mean the world to someone. There are hundreds of different ways to get involved with helping people – all you have to be is a little proactive in searching it out.”

We thank Ryan for his community service and for making a difference in the lives of so many, both on and off the field. We gladly award Ryan with a gold star for his continued giving and wish him the best of luck in 2012.

• For more information, please visit: http://ryantatusko.wordpress.com/

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