When Ryan Gennett was 4 years old, he had a tendency to unhook his seat belt from his car seat in the back of the car. One time after doing this, his frustrated mother drove to the police station in hopes that a lecture from the man in blue would solve the problem.
When the officer asked the youngster his name, he called himself Scooter, a name his mother had never heard. He had named himself after one of the Muppet babies.
Today, Scooter Gennett is making a name for himself again as the second baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. When Scooter was 9 years old, his family made a life-altering move. The family moved from their home in Lebanon, Ohio, to Sarasota, Florida.
Gennett, a diehard Reds fan along with his dad, was asked by his father if he was serious about baseball. When he said that he was, his father said they would move to Florida to, in Scooter’s words, “really embrace it, play every day and learn how to play the game.”
And the young man did not disappoint. Playing for Sarasota High School, he was an all-star and earned a scholarship to Florida State University. However, the Milwaukee Brewers also made an offer, and in 2009, he signed to play in their minor league system instead.
Gennett got to the majors in 2013 and played well for the Brewers through the 2016 season. But at the end of that year, Gennett’s lifelong dream came true, when he was picked up by the Cincinnati Reds.
He began to flourish, especially in hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park, home of the Reds. On June 6, 2017, he had a night every hitter dreams about. Against the St. Louis Cardinals, he had five hits, including four home runs, and 10 RBIs, becoming the first player in major league history to accomplish that feat.
But another event in 2013 was even more important. At a Pro Athlete’s Outreach Conference, Gennett accepted Christ as his savior and was baptized. It wasn’t an easy decision. He had grown up in the Catholic church, and had heard about Jesus, but couldn’t “connect the dots.”
A teammate offered to sponsor him for the conference, and after running out of excuses, he reluctantly went. As he told me during an interview in the Reds dugout one afternoon, “It was a life-changing experience. Getting baptized and asking God to come into my life was huge. It was an amazing journey, but it wasn’t easy at first. I learned that I needed to grow and to do that I need to stay in the word (the Bible).”
Since then, Scooter has become outspoken in his love for the Lord. He says a prayer every time he steps into the batter’s box. He also draws the fish symbol in the dirt while waiting to hit in the on deck circle. This draws curious stares from fans and teammates and opens the door to tell them about Jesus. He takes every opportunity to let people know that Jesus controls every aspect of his life, including the four home run night. Even teammate Joey Votto mentioned there was something unusual about the way the ball was hit and left the park. Scooter admits that sometimes God uses baseball for his glory.
To emphasize Scooter’s permanent love for the Lord, he got his first tattoo on the day he was picked up by the Reds. It is the Scripture verse II Timothy 1:7, which says, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and of self-control.”
As he says, “It’s always on my arm. I always have it with me. Having it on my arm every day is a great reminder to always keep my eyes on him.”
Columbus’ Tom Rust is founder of the national Face To Face sports ministry, a local radio sports broadcaster, and pastor of Sardinia Baptist Church. He can be reached at [email protected].
Columbus’ Tom Rust is founder of the national Face To Face sports ministry, a local radio sports broadcaster, and pastor of Sardinia Baptist Church. He can be reached at [email protected].
