Absolutely inspiring. I couldn’t put it down! I find myself at a pivot point in my life. I am nearly 51. I’ve re-invented myself and am pursuing a dream I have had for years. At times I have struggled and asked myself if I am nuts. Adam Greenberg’s story provided the exact lift I needed! Thank Heavens for men like Adam who have the courage to persevere in the face of tremendous odds! Thank Heaven for the time, effort and courage to share the story. My hat is off to both Adam Greenberg and Ben Biddick for the great writing! LOVED THIS BOOK! – Amazon Review
Get Up: The Art of Perseverance
On July 9th, 2005, Adam Greenberg stepped into the batter’s box for his first major-league plate appearance with the Chicago Cubs. That moment was the culmination of his life’s work and proudest achievement up to that point.
No one suspected the triumph of that moment would be obliterated by a 92 mile-an-hour first-pitch fastball striking Adam just under his helmet on the back of his head. The first pitch of his major-league career threatened not only the future of his ability to play baseball, but life itself.
Adam didn’t know it at the time, but that pitch was a gift. What was both the greatest and worst split-second of his life sent him into an odyssey of struggle, pain, and confusion which forged him slowly into the man he is today. What he thought was the destroyer of his dream was actually the birth of a greater one.
Get Up: The Art of Perseverance is not simply a baseball story or a story about a baseball player. This book is a beginning. No matter what you’re doing or what you’re facing, Adam offers his story of overcoming adversity and persevering through challenges in hopes of helping you relentlessly pursue your dream for your life.
Exclusive Interviews:
Matt Lauer – NBC’s Today Show Host
Peter Gammons – American Sportswriter and Baseball Analyst
Dusty Baker – Manager for Washington Nationals
David Sampson – President of MLB Miami Marlins
Brad Ausmus – Manager for Detroit Tigers
David Bell – Bench Coach for St. Louis Cardinals
Steven G. Hearn – President and CEO of The Hearn Company
Coach Mike Fox – UNC Tarheels Baseball Coach
About the Authors
After attending the University of Wisconsin, Ben Biddick enlisted in the United States Army following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. He served as a combat medic and military policeman in Iraq and performed Emergency Management Operations for the State of Wisconsin. Following military service, Biddick served as a civilian law enforcement officer focused on the prevention of domestic violence, the exploitation of children in the form of human trafficking, and criminal gang membership. He also served as a Crisis and Hostage Negotiator and has nearly 20 years of experience of serving others in civilian, military, and correctional healthcare environments. His most recent endeavors include performing crisis intervention during the COVID19 Pandemic and service as a Dementia Care Specialist in the State of Wisconsin.
He is an author, public speaker, and consultant who strives to transform the effects of trauma into power bases of positive change, recovery, and empowerment. As the owner of Ideal State Consulting LLC, he uses his Master’s Degree in Performance Improvement and experiences to assist individuals and organizations create a more just and noble America worthy of the honorable men and women who built it and continue to build it every day.
Ben is also the Creator and Host of the getupnationpodcast.com where he helps individuals, organizations, and societies develop and sustain resilience and perseverance and anchor.fm/theresilientcaregiver podcast where he empowers those who serve people diagnosed with dementia.
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If there’s ever a person who epitomizes perseverance, it’s Adam Greenberg, famous for the one pitch that changed his life forever. A 92 mile-an-hour first-pitch fastball to the back of the head on his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs gave Adam the record for being one of only two players in history to have an official at-bat without ever taking the field. After seven years of continued hustle to get back, Adam signed a one-day contract with the Miami Marlins in 2012. He was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
Adam is an All-State native of Connecticut and an All-American standout at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2010, he founded the health and wellness company Lurong Living, where he enjoys empowering others to gain control of their health through a line of dietary supplements and nationwide health challenges. As a proven dynamic leader, he also enjoys traveling the country sharing his story and keys to perseverance.
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