Jon Lester
Jon Lester
Jonathan Tyler Lesteris an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. He previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox from 2006 to 2014 and the Oakland Athletics in 2014. Less than two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma, Lester started and won the final game of the 2007 World Series for the Red Sox, and in May 2008, pitched a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionAthlete
Date of Birth7 January 1984
CountryUnited States of America
Don't get me wrong: I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Even the word 'cancer' brings back the nausea and pain, the fear I felt, and the heartbreak I saw in my parents' faces. The smells that fill hospitals and the constant tired feeling that comes with treatment are also permanently stuck in my memory.
No matter what you do in the offseason, you can't simulate putting spikes on and standing in the grass and being around your teammates. When you're around your teammates, you step it up a notch. It's just kind of instinctive you do that.
It's getting better. I'm starting to feel a little more consistent with everything. It's coming around, slowly but surely.
The two biggest things that translate from the pitching mound to hunting and fishing are patience and perseverance. When you're on the mound, you have to take the game one pitch at a time, regardless of the score, and that approach helps when I'm in the woods or on the water as well.
There's only certain things you can control. I know how hard I work, I know how I take care of myself, and those are the two things I can control. As far as injuries and wear and tear and stuff like that, it's going to happen.
Once you make the majors, it's never a great feeling to go back to the minors - no matter what the circumstances.
You still have to pitch the same game, execute your pitches as best you can. If the shadows end up helping you out, then great, but you can't really worry about that stuff.
You never know when you're going to throw a no-hitter or if you're ever going to get the chance to do it. It's one of those deals where the ninth inning comes around; it's either going to be your night or just a complete game.
It was nice to get the first one out of the way. I've thrown off that mound and I felt pretty comfortable.
These guys are hitting right now like they did at the beginning of the season (during a 10-0 start). They're feeding off each other. One guy hits the ball hard and the next guy wants to hit the ball hard.
Describing the Internet as the Network of Networks is like calling the Space Shuttle, a thing that flies.
I'm cancer-free right now. That's it.
It's almost embarrassing to be out in public and someone comes up to you and says, 'My mother had the same thing you did.' What do you say? I don't know what to say to make them feel better about their situation.
I thought I'd be back in baseball, but I didn't know when.