The internet has been abuzz about Miami’s St. Thomas University Bobcats pitcher, Ben Ancheff. At 6’2 and 300 lbs, he’s not what the mainstream considers your average baseball player.
@STU_Athletics Ben Ancheff stretches out before tonight's #AvistaNAIAWS Final against @LCWarriors pic.twitter.com/4NgSHupujT
— Zachary Simonar (@mrsim21) May 30, 2015
His team played Lewis-Clark State in the NAIA World Championships over the weekend, and Ancheff did well, only allowing one run in 4 innings, and striking out 5 more in his time on the mound. According to his Facebook page, he’s a man of many sports: 2 time all state defensive tackle, 2 time defensive lineman of the year in the league, 100 wrestling wins, school record for wins in a season, 5th place in the state in wrestling, 2 time southeast regional champion, 3 time district XI champion, 20-5 record with 224 strikeouts in high school baseball
Whoever says "Pitchers aren't athletes" obviously haven't seen St. Thomas' Ben Ancheff in NAIA WS. @SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/vdKHTbqMNv
— DC (@DCmusicnation) May 30, 2015
What makes Ben’s story even more interesting? He’s lucky to be alive. This 2010 interview explains that he was born prematurely, with an underdeveloped heart and lungs. Doctors tried an experimental treatment that pumped oxygen into his blood and managed carbon dioxide until his organs were strong enough to handle these functions on their own. After about a month of this treatment, Ben allowed to go home. To this day, he has a perfect heart rate.
Though a championship win wasn’t in the cards for the Bobcats, hopefully we’ll see Ben Ancheff back next year doing what he does best. It’s always great to see a big gent out there breaking myths by showing the world what he’s capable of.
