Ben Petrick and His Battle with Parkinson’s

Former Colorado Rockies catcher and outfielder Ben Petrick had a very, very promising career in the MLB. However, Petrick had to throw in the glove when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. After the 1999 season, he was diagnosed with the debilitating illness and officially retired from baseball in 2004.

Petrick took various medications and received much treatment, but it became clear that the illness would no longer allow him to play baseball. At the start of his career he showed much promise, but as the disease took its toll, it became evident that his career and athletic prowess was dwindling.

Petrick went so far as to try to cure his disease through intense brain surgery that nearly cost him his life. When it became clear there would be no return to baseball, a sport that had given him everything, he wrote a book to help others who suffer from the same disease or to just to help those going through a struggle. The book is titled 40,000 to One.

Petrick has recently talked about how things have been, in light of his disease and the book that has helped many others.

“I think seeing someone in the public eye, who has their disease, helps them feel not alone. It provides them with a little bit of hope and hopefully will inspire them. And despite, struggling sometimes and having some bad moments with the disease, they can pick themselves up. I think as long they keep the fight, maybe in the future, there will be something,” he said.