This is a story of a man from Texas. Actually, a cousin of mine, Zach Neal, and his pursuit and realization of a huge dream.

Zach has loved baseball and dreamed of playing in the Major League since he was a young boy growing up north of Dallas in Flower Mound, Texas.

He played college baseball at Sam Houston State, Howard College and at the University of Oklahoma, where he was drafted by the Miami Marlins in 2010.

He was released by the Marlins in 2013 and was signed by the Oakland Athletics as a free agent just two days after his release and played 2014, 2015 and part of 2016 in the Triple A minor league.

This 27-year-old right-handed pitcher could have given up at any time when he faced disappointment. Zach could have listened to naysayers who told him it was time to do something else. But he didn't.

He kept on keeping on, and this past Wednesday, May 11, 2016, Zach was called up to pitch for the Oakland A's for their game against the Boston Red Sox in, of all places, Fenway Park!

Zach had a good debut, even striking out future Hall of Famer David Ortiz.

A Major League pitching debut in the Big Green Monster. Does it get more nerve wracking than that?

No one is going to tell Zach Neal that dreams don't come true. And whatever your dream is, don't let anyone tell you that either.

Onward, upward, dream big and pray hard. Nothing is impossible, and you are only going to be you in this life once. So, like Zach, press on and make it count!

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