It took Munster senior Kevin Hall Jr. a moment to find the right words.
The Grambling State recruit was trying to explain the importance of baseball in his life.
“Man, I couldn’t even get started with that,” Hall Jr. said. “I’m working out here in the morning. I’m here after school for it. I feel like it keeps me busy, keeps me out of trouble and keeps me striving for something.”
That striving has made Hall Jr. invaluable for the Mustangs (7-6). He’s hitting .442 with three triples, 21 runs scored and 13 stolen bases, all team highs, and he’s tied with Tyler Blair for the team lead with five doubles. Hall Jr. has also made just one error while playing multiple positions, including second base and the outfield.
Munster coach Mike Mikolajczyk could not stop heaping praise on him.
“He knows the game 100% in and out,” Mikolajczyk said. “I can play him anywhere and I know he’s going to be great there.”
The combination of Hall Jr.’s ability to reach base and his speed made him a fixture in Munster’s leadoff spot.
“He’s a catalyst for us,” Mikolajczyk said. “It’s almost like the way Kevin goes is the way we go.”
That’s not a responsibility Hall Jr. takes lightly. He is always searching for a new way to keep opponents off guard.
“People are starting to understand my scouting report and where to play against me or how to pitch to me,” he said. “So I’ve learned how to get around that.”
Consider two games against Hobart this season. On April 18, Hall Jr. went 1-for-3 against some defensive adjustments the Brickies made. He did score three runs, though.
“I had some balls that should’ve fallen,” he said. “I should’ve gone 3-for-4.”
Three days later, the teams met again, and Hall Jr. made some adjustments of his own. He went 3-for-5.
“That just goes to show that baseball is full of adjustments,” he said. “And it’s a game of inches.”
One of the people Hall consulted after he went 1-for-3 was his father, Kevin Hall Sr., who has been an integral part of his baseball career.
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Both of Hall Jr.’s parents have been involved, in fact. His mother, Kendra Rollins-Hall, introduced the sport to him by tossing him pitches one day. Hall Jr. responded by blasting those pitches onto the roof of their house. He was 3 years old at the time.
Then Hall Sr. started pitching to his son. Home plate moved from the yard to the driveway and ultimately to a park to prevent any broken windows as Hall Jr.’s swing improved.
“He really took to it,” Hall Sr. said “He just had a natural feel for the game.”
Hall Sr., who played baseball just across the state line at Thornwood, found his son was eager for any opportunity to put a bat or glove in his hands.
“I’d always ask him if he wanted to go out and practice, and he’d always say, ‘Yeah,'” Hall Sr. said.
Hall Jr. has developed into a Division I player during his time with Munster and various travel teams, most recently the Chicago White Sox’s Amateur City Elite program. But the foundation was built during those early sessions with his father.
“I’ve never had a personal trainer or a coach or anything like that,” Hall Jr. said. “My dad would get off his work shift and then come to work with me. He’s a physical therapist, too, so he’s always worked out with me too. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without him.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.