East Carolina infielder/pitcher Parker Byrd made history Friday night, becoming the first Division I college baseball player to participate in a game with a prosthetic leg.
Byrd was injured in a boating accident in July 2022 and had his right leg amputated. According to multiple media reports, he underwent 22 surgeries in 45 days and endured a lengthy rehabilitation process.
In the Pirates’ 16-2 win against visiting Rider on Friday in Greenville, N.C., Byrd received a standing ovation from the crowd as he walked to home plate as an eighth-inning pinch hitter. In his first collegiate at-bat, he drew a five-pitch walk and was lifted for a pinch runner.
“It’s unreal,” Byrd said, according to Baseball America. “I really can’t put it into words. It’s phenomenal.”
East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin called Byrd’s debut “super emotional” and added that the sophomore will have more opportunities to play this season.
A grateful Byrd reflected on the past 19 months since the accident and all those who played a role in his comeback.
“It’s really the people along the way that have helped me,” Byrd said, according to WITN-TV in Greenville. “God as well, he’s looking over me the whole time. I really can’t be more blessed getting the opportunity I am today.”
–Field Level Media