When Jack Bailey was eight years old, he nearly quit playing baseball.
His reasoning? He still laughs about it to this day.
“To be honest, I was just scared of kids actually throwing the ball at me,” said Bailey. “It wasn’t tee ball or coach pitch anymore. I didn’t like it when I saw the ball coming at me.”
It’s safe to say Bailey’s well-adjusted to it now. The junior Byrnes right fielder is on a heater for the Rebels at the plate. In his last three games for Byrnes, Bailey is batting .500 with two home runs and five RBIs.
This season has all been a bit of a blur for Bailey, who was a key contributor to the success of Byrnes basketball in the winter. Bailey was a starter for a large portion of the year, and standing at 6-foot-4, was a force in the paint and on the glass for the Rebels.
Bailey finished with basketball on Feb. 28 when Byrnes’ season ended with a state semifinal loss to Ridge View. He was on the baseball field on March 2 — just two days later — helping lead Byrnes to wins over both St. Joseph’s and Eastside to kick off the season.
“It was a quick switch, a lot quicker than I was ready for,” said Bailey. “But during the basketball season, I was able to find a little bit of time here and there to work on [baseball] on my own. I was doing as much baseball activity on my own as I could, because I knew it was right around the corner.”
“Me and [Byrnes basketball head coach] Layne Fowler talk on a regular basis, and if we ever have a guy going back and forth between our sports like Jack, he’s super helpful,” said Byrnes head baseball coach Taylor Hollifield. “He would lend Jack to me a day or two here and there if he needed to throw or hit. We worked pretty seamlessly together.”
For Bailey, playing multiple sports has never been a novel concept. He’s played both basketball and baseball since he was in elementary school. The junior has also dabbled in football, but gave that up a few years back.
He’s weighing the idea of putting the helmet and pads on one more time for his senior year, but he hasn’t fully decided yet.
“I think [Byrnes football coaches] want me to come out and play as a senior,” said Bailey. “I think they want me to give tight end a shot. I’m still not 100 percent sure yet.”
Those around Bailey are sure of one thing, however. If he wanted, Bailey could pick up just about any sport and become good at it in no time.
“He’s truly, if you ask me, one of the 5-10 best overall athletes we have here at Byrnes,” said Fowler. “I’ve told Jack this, but he could be good at any sport within a week of picking it up. I don’t care what sport it is. He’s versatile.
“I think it starts with his overall athletic frame. And the mental side of it, he’s always excited to try new things. I think he could do any sport he set his mind to.”
After his time at Byrnes is up, however, Bailey has already set his mind to playing one sport collegiately: baseball. It’s the sport he’s played the longest and most consistently throughout his life.
And if Bailey keeps playing the way he’s playing right now for the Rebels? He’s got a good shot of making it to that next level.
“I think I’ve been playing well and hitting the ball well this season,” said Bailey. “Playing sports year-round has really helped me to excel. It helps me stay competitive, stay on my Ps and Qs, and stay in the weight room.
“It’s not always easy to go from one sport to another. But I do think it’s a huge help in building character and being competitive. It’s definitely a game-changer for me."
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