Jackson Holliday Thanks God After MLB Debut: ‘Wouldn’t Be Here Without Jesus’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Baltimore Orioles’ Jackson Holliday is praising Jesus after making his MLB debut.
As the Orioles’ number one 2022 MLB Draft pick and the son of former MLB All-Star Matt Holliday, Jackson has some big shoes to fill.
The Orioles shared the moment when Holliday learned that he would play his first MLB game.
“First, I just want to commend you for how you’ve gone about your business down here,” an Orioles coach told him. “Dude, like, that’s not easy to do. You kinda carry yourself with a chip on your shoulder. And I think these guys, they notice it. They feed off of it. Alright, so keep doing what you’re doing. It’s just a matter of time.”
“First, tonight, I want you to call your dad,” the coach continued as he gave Holliday instructions for the night. “I want you to talk to him. I want you to thank him for all the times that he’s allowed you to come to the clubhouse, be on his pass list, you know, let you hit with the big boys. That’s pretty special and plays into a lot of what you’re about. The second thing I want you to tell him is that now it’s time for him to ask permission to be on Jackson Holliday’s pass list cause you’re going to the big leagues.”
Call your dad 🧡 pic.twitter.com/a7wUO13W9A
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 10, 2024
Although Holliday was unable to score a hit behind the plate, he drove in a run and turned a double play late in the game to secure his team’s win.
During a post-game interview, Holliday told the media, “Obviously, I would have liked to have gotten a few hits, but the overall experience was pretty incredible tonight.”
“I wouldn’t be here without Jesus, honestly,” he continued. “Just His love that He’s had on me and blessed me with the ability to play baseball and to be here today. I probably wouldn’t be anywhere without Him…Just giving thanks to the Lord.”
The pressure was on for Holliday, but that is one thing he enjoys.
In a Sports Spectrum podcast from 2022, he stated, “We like to say that pressure is a privilege. If you have pressure on you, you’re probably doing something right. It’s just about being able to rely on God, and being able to pray, and being able to put it all in His hands to just take it day by day and play the game I’ve grown up loving.”
For more inspiring sports stories, check out Sports Spectrum.
Movieguide® recently reported on Holliday’s faith throughout his career:
In a 2022 appearance on the “Sports Spectrum Podcast,” he discussed where his faith came from and when it became important to him.
“I’d say just the past—maybe last summer and definitely this summer—it’s been more important for me because…I was on my own recently,” Holliday said. “Traveling in the summer, I mean, it gets a little lonely, and you always have God. He’s always right there with you, so it’s been more important than it was kind of growing up.”
When asked what he is most grateful for, he didn’t hesitate to say God’s favor.
“I’d say just, Jesus died on the cross for our sins because we’re obviously not perfect, and we sin a lot,” the athlete said. “For Him to love us so much, for Him to send his only Son to die for us, I am forever grateful for that.”
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