Marcus Stroman graduates from Duke thanks to his torn ACL
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman didn’t take part in Sunday’s bench-clearing brawl between the Jays and the Texas Rangers, and for good reason. He was away from the team doing something a little more celebratory (and certainly less violent): getting his diploma from Duke University.
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The opportunity for Stroman to finish his degree in sociology actually came from unfortunate circumstances. After he tore the ACL in his left knee during spring training in 2015, he went back to school while rehabbing. MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm spoke to Stroman about his incredible accomplishment:
“I never thought I’d say I was thankful for tearing my ACL, but I am, because I grew so much as an individual. I was able to get my degree and I got stronger mentally, physically, through it all. I’m in a great position now, and that has a large part to do with the summer I had at Duke University.”
Many of Stroman’s family members and friends were present to watch him graduate, and Sportsnet was even able to capture the special moment on video. After the ceremony, Stroman posed for the obligatory post-graduation photos.
Of course, some of those photos were just a little bit cooler than most post-ceremony photos.
Stroman even used his graduation as an excuse for family togetherness.
And he thanked everyone for making time for him.
But if you thought graduating from Duke University would keep Stroman from commenting on the fight between his Jays teammates and the Rangers, you’d be wrong. Stroman definitely had something to say.
Getting a degree from a prestigious university certainly didn’t douse the hot fire in Stroman’s belly. Now that he’s finished his schooling and fulfilled the promise he made to his mother to graduate from college, he can get back to baseball. If that tweet is any indication, it seems that he’s already started.
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Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
