Mark Martin’s appreciation for baseball runs deeper than most players.
He loves everything about the game, from the sweet scent of a baseball diamond’s fresh cut grass to the sound of a fist smacking the palm of a well-oiled mitt.
He’s a throwback in that way.
“It’s an obsession,” said Martin, a senior at Evergreen Park. “I’ve been watching baseball since I was three-years-old. I love everything about it. Like that there’s no clock. You just play. It’s more than a game to me.”
That passion is obvious watching Martin perform, whether he’s flashing some leather at shortstop, trying to nail down a victory as the team’s closer or digging into the batter’s box. He performed all three duties on Monday during Evergreen Park’s 7-5 win over Richards.
“I’m not going to have another player like Mark for a long while,” Evergreen Park coach Mark Smyth said. “His work ethic is second to none. His dedication to making himself better is amazing. He never takes a play off. He’s a phenomenal high school shortstop.”
Martin’s dedication is void of an offseason. Smyth recalled seeing his shortstop playing catch in Evergreen Park’s parking lot two years ago after 9 p.m. — in the middle of January.
“He’s something else,” Smyth said. “I told him to go home. He just loves the game and wants to be the best player that he can be.”
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound right-handed hitter has spent his entire high school career on varsity. Having that rare opportunity is one of the reasons he chose attending Evergreen Park over a private school.
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Martin has enjoyed everything about being a student-athlete at Evergreen Park, which includes playing four years on the golf team and being a part of two conference championships.
“It’s been great,” said Martin, a Central Middle School graduate. “It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made going to Evergreen Park. The teachers and the environment at the school are great. I like Coach Smyth a lot. It’s a challenge academically.”
Martin hasn’t only thrived on the diamond, posting a .472 average, 51 hits, 13 doubles, 35 runs and 28 RBIs last season, he’s performed exceedingly well in the classroom, boasting a 4.4 GPA and scoring a 29 on the ACT.
“He’s just an all-around great kid,” Smyth said.
Growing up, Martin played infield and outfield — much of the time for his father in the Evergreen Park Athletic Association.
“My dad coached me up until I was 12,” Martin said. “It was great playing for him. He got on me when I didn’t do something right, but praised me when I did. He never showed favoritism toward me. I was just another player on the team. He always told me to work as hard as you can but be humble.”
Though Martin spends all of his time for Evergreen Park at shortstop and pitcher, he shifts to the outfield during the summer travel season. His willingness to play multiple positions is all about helping the team and staying in the lineup.
“I’m comfortable playing middle infield and all three outfield spots,” Martin said.
When he attends St. Xavier in the fall, however, Martin likely will be playing shortstop, maybe some second base. The position doesn’t matter as much as being in the lineup every day.
“I like that St. Xavier is close to home,” Martin said. “When I visited, I liked the environment and the kids are cool. I’m thrilled with my decision to go to St. Xavier.”
First things first, however. Martin and his teammates are intent on leading Evergreen Park to a successful season. The Mustangs, 4-2 through Tuesday, finished 22-11 overall last season and in second place in the South Suburban Red Division.
They’d like to take their achievements a couple of steps further this season, hoping to add a conference championship and an extended Class 3A playoff run to their resume.
“Our No. 1 goal is to win conference,” Martin said. “We also want to get back to the sectionals. We’ve been preparing for this since our freshman year.”
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