Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Nelson County High School senior H.B. Awkard enjoyed his best season in 1989, hitting .596, with seven home runs, The Lynchburg News and Advance wrote . He explained to The News and Advance why. "I've been able to hit a little better every year," Awkard told The News and Advance . "My bat speed has increased every year and now I pull the ball more instead of hitting everything to the opposite field." Awkard went on from that senior season to turn pro. His pro career lasted three seasons . He saw rookie ball all three seasons. Awkard's career began that year in 1989, taken by the Red Sox in the 19th round of the draft out of Nelson County High in Virginia. In high school, Awkard led his Blue Ridge Babe Ruth team to a July 1988 win, with six RBI, The Waynesboro News-Virginian wrote . "I was hitting curves," Awkard told The News-Virginian . "I move up in the batters box and try to hit them before they break. I was also going to the opposite fi...