Recent Winthrop High School graduate, Ryan Buccini, plays baseball for more than just the competition. Having learned lifelong lessons from the sport that is considered “the game of failure,†Buccini believes that baseball goes beyond the field and serves his life in a number of ways.
“A player who gets a hit one third of the time is considered a superstar. It’s called hitting .300, which is a massive accomplishment. Baseball encourages players not to look at failure with disapproval but rather as motivation to learn the art of mastering defeat. I try to apply this philosophy to all aspects of my life. The game of baseball has taught me to manage both failures and success,†Buccini said.
This summer, before he heads off to Colby Sawyer College to study business with a concentration in marketing, Buccini will dedicate his time to the baseball field. He will be playing for the Malden Bambinos and the Melrose Americans, who are affiliated with the Inner-City Baseball League (ICL). Known as one of the top men’s amateur leagues in the Northeast, Buccini was both excited and nervous when he was asked to join the teams.
“I knew the skill level within the ICL would be extremely competitive as the majority of the players are current or former college players along with some minor league players,†said Buccini, who believes that playing for both of these teams will help him to prepare for playing at the college level next year. “The level of coaching that I am receiving is definitely contributing to my success on the field,†he said.
Currently, Buccini is batting just over .300 with both teams and during the last Bambinos’ game he hit a two-run homerun against Lynnfield.
Last summer, Buccini was nominated to play for the Metro Bay State Games team. He also received the Rookie of the Year award from the 21U Malden Bambinos.