Tracy McGrady’s journey through the world of professional baseball may be over, but no one can say he didn't go out on top.
The former NBA All-Star signed on to pitch for the Atlantic League’s Sugar Land Skeeters in February and struggled mightily on the diamond, serving up a smorgasbord of meatballs and wild pitches from the mound.
After posting a 6.75 ERA through four regular-season games, things began to look up for the slumping pitcher. McGrady earned was given a starting spot at the Atlantic League All-Star Game this week. It didn’t matter that he had walked 10 batters in 6.2 innings of play. The league was ready to give McGrady his moment.
And what a moment it was.
Brett Dolan of CBS Houston (h/t Aaron Gleeman of HardBallTalk) reports that McGrady pitched 1.1 innings at the Atlantic League All-Star Game on Wednesday night and managed to record the first strikeout of his baseball career.
McGrady, feeling the momentum shifting in his favor, promptly retired from the sport.
Indeed, McGrady called it quits after his first “K,” saying he had accomplished his goal.
“I told some of the guys that I am going to get a strikeout before I stop playing,” McGrady told Dolan. “I got it in the second inning. Thank you Jesus.”
