Former Chicago Clubs And Miami Marlins Player Adam Greenberg Announces Run For Public Office

Ex-professional baseball player Adam Greenberg is running for the state senate in his home state of Connecticut. Greenberg is seeking to win the seat in the state’s district 12, which is in the New Haven area, and is currently held by Democrat Ted Kennedy Jr., the son of the late U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. Kennedy Jr. previously indicated he would not run for reelection in 2018, the Hartford Courant noted.

A high school baseball star in Guilford, Connecticut, where district 12 is located, and later at the University of North Carolina, Greenberg was beaned on the first pitch of his very first plate appearance for the Chicago Cubs by then-Florida Marlins reliever Valerio de los Santos on July 9, 2005, and had to come out of the game. Unfortunately, Greenberg never made it back to the big leagues after what turned out ultimately to be a career-ending injury. He suffered a concussion and numerous other severe health issues such as vertigo as a result of the ninth-inning incident in his MLB debut.

Because the at-bat was incomplete, Greenberg never got credit for an official appearance in the big leagues.

Greenberg, a left-handed-batting outfielder, was released by the Cubs in 2006 and then bounced around with several minor league teams and later with the Bridgeport (Conn.) Bluefish of the Independent League.

Adam Greenberg’s supporters and fans subsequently waged a campaign to get him to the big leagues for an official at-bat. About 27,000 people signed a petition on Change.org to convince Major League Baseball to “step up to the plate for Adam.”

With the approval of the baseball commissioner, the Miami Marlins agreed to offer Greenberg a one-day contract seven years after his brief MLB debut. On October 2, 2012, Greenberg led off the bottom of the sixth inning as a pinch hitter against the Mets’ knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey, to a standing ovation. He struck out on three pitches, but got his name included in the MLB record book, as well as in baseball folklore.

Reacting to what happened that night in Miami, a nonetheless enthusiastic Greenberg spoke highly of the at-bat.

“It was magical. The energy in the stadium was something I never experienced, and I don’t know if I will ever experience it again. You could just feel the genuine support. It was awesome,” Men’s Journal reported.

In announcing his 2018 run for state senate as a first-time candidate, Adam Greenberg, a Republican who lives in the town of Branford in the district, wrote on Facebook and Instagram that “I’m ready for the challenge to be a part of turning CT back to one of the best places to live in the country.”

Similar to other states, Connecticut’s legislature is considered a part-time operation, so Greenberg, 37, will keep his job as CEO of Lurong Living, a nutritional supplement company that he founded. Greenberg is also the author of a memoir/self-help book called Get Up: the Art of Perseverance. Two other local businesspersons, a Democrat and a Republican, are also in the running so far, but additional hopefuls may emerge.

“Kennedy’s decision to not seek a third term could have significant political ramifications in the Senate, where Democrats and Republicans each hold 18 seats,” the Hartford Courant added.

The governor’s mansion will be also be up for grabs in November; incumbent Democrat Dan Malloy, said to be one of the most unpopular governors in America according to polling data as the Connecticut Post reported, declined to run for a third term

Adam Greenberg apparently will emphasize personal responsibility in his campaign for the Connecticut state senate, BranfordSeven reported.

“Being a new father and living in the area for as long as I have, we live in a society where the ‘poor me’ mentality is too prevalent. I advocate for a lot of things, heath, education, over-taxation; I advocate for these things a lot in my personal life. My platform is to do what’s right, and actually do something to make a difference.”

If a primary is necessary on the GOP side, it will take place on August 14, 2018.