Last week, Ron DeSantis was reelected governor of Florida. But did you know that he once was a star baseball player at Yale College, from 1998 through 2001? Or that he played in the Little League World Series as a child? Prior to his run for office, DeSantis had an exceptional baseball career.
In 1991, a team from Dunedin, Florida, of which DeSantis was a member of, reached the quarterfinals of the Little League World Series.
As a member of the United States House of Representatives, DeSantis shared a message with the West Boynton Little League team, which was set to compete for the Little League World Series.
“I would just say you’re having the time of your life, enjoy it. Those are friends that you’re going to have forever. Play hard, work hard… just feel lucky that you’re doing it. And thank your parents,” DeSantis said in the message.
Fast forward to DeSantis' senior year in high school, the future governor would star for the Dunedin High School team that squared off in the 1997 5A state semifinal game with Port St. Lucie High School, led by future St. Louis Cardinal Rick Ankiel.
Before Ankiel switched to being a position player, he was a star pitcher, finishing second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2000. And boy, was he dominant in high school.
Ankiel entered the high school playoff game with a 13-0 record and 0.10 ERA, having thrown four no-hitters. He would later be named national High School Player of the Year by USA Today. Dunedin would hand Ankiel his first loss of the season, however, as DeSantis and his team's other top three hitters would combine for eight hits and four runs off the future second round pick. DeSantis' team would go on to lose the state championship.
In a 2001 story in the Yale News, the college's campus student newspaper, DeSantis reflected on growing up playing baseball in Dunedin, which also happens to be the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays.
“We contended for the state title every year,” DeSantis said. “We played and practiced in the Toronto Blue Jays spring training stadium. I have not played on a field even close to that nice since I left. It was big time.”
He also commented on the stardom he experienced as a 12-year-old on his Little League team that reached the Little League World Series.
“We were like local celebrities for a while,” DeSantis said. “We were the lead story in the local newscasts and on the front page of the Tampa area papers.”
DeSantis' baseball career didn't end in high school, however, as he would go on to be a four-year starter in the outfield and eventual captain of the Yale Bulldogs baseball team.
Over his four-year college career, DeSantis batted .313 with a .361 On Base Percentage and .817 OPS to go with 11 home runs, 88 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 152 games. His senior year, he batted .336 with a .370 OBP.
“He’s a great captain,” teammate Kyle Cousin told the Yale News in 2001. “He helps everybody out. He is a true leader on and off the field.”
Below are DeSantis' college statistics.
As DeSantis was raising funds for his reelection earlier this year, his team created an exclusive Ron DeSantis baseball card, many of which he signed, and distributed the cards to donors.
DeSantis isn't the only politician to have captained Yale's baseball team. The 41st President of the United States, George H.W. Bush, played first base and led the Bulldogs to the first two College World Series in 1947 and 1948, where Yale placed second both years.
For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.
More must-reads: