GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — At first glance, Grant Holland is your average 12-year-old boy who has an above-average ability to play baseball.
“In my first year, I wasn’t the best player in the world. I was pretty bad, actually. But then I got better and better each year and that inspired me to play more and more and more," says Grant.
But look a little closer. At his hands after a pitch. And then notice his feet, and you realize Grant is something special.
“It feels really nice. I’m really passionate about it. It’s been really fun these past few years.”
Grant’s dad, Joshua, is his coach and one of his admirers. “He was born, had a tough start, but he came through. He’s the most positive kid ever.”
Despite not having full use of his left arm and wearing a prosthetic on his left leg due to complications at birth, Grant has become a feared opponent in his Georgetown youth baseball league.
“So basically I like to keep the glove right here, like face down," Grant describes his move in pitching and catching both with his right hand. “And then when I throw the ball, I try to slide my hand down into the glove to try to catch it just in case it comes back to me.”
“I think most people don’t even recognize that he’s pitching with one arm, he’s catching with one arm," says league president Jeff Willhite. “First thing they notice is the blade, the prosthetic leg. But they don’t even see because he’s so smooth with the transition of putting his glove on and taking it off.”
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“The kid doesn’t know defeat and he doesn’t know fail," remarks Joshua. “And if you talk to anybody that’s been around him, he just has this positive outlook constantly. There’s nothing he can’t do.”
We watched as he struck out his first batter and then delivered an RBI single in his first at-bat, followed by a stolen base.
“When he was younger, you look at him and go ‘well, he’s hanging around in the T-ball ages,', but as he’s progressed, it’s just become more amazing at what he’s able to do. I mean, he’s playing competitive baseball," says Willhite.
“The league has never treated him any differently," notes Joshua. “He doesn’t get any breaks. One of the coaches said today when they were talking about it was ‘I glad he doesn’t get to kick our butts on TV!’”
Next year, Grant moves up leagues and up to a larger field and he’s not sure if he’ll continue. Either way, his legacy is complete.
“It’s a pretty nice feeling," admits Grant. “Why it’s nice is because it inspires people and I like to inspire people. If I can do it, you can too.”
