In every edition of Sportsnet Magazine, Kristina Rutherford talks to the biggest stars in sports. In this interview, outfielder Dalton Pompey discusses nerves, going dancing and playing for his hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Is it true you learned to switch-hit at age three?
> Mmhmm. Yeah, my parents thought it was a good idea to make their kid a switch-hitter. So right from the start, when I picked up a bat, my parents made me hit both ways.
Do you remember that?
> I don’t. But I remember growin’ up I would alternate no matter if the pitcher was right-handed or left-handed, I would hit left, right, left, right, to get the reps. I was playing whiffle ball, there’s video of me swingin’ both. I would hold the bat like this and my parents would change my hands and say, ‘You gotta swing it that way.’
Did you think it was weird that other kids only hit one way?
> Yeah, I was kind of like, ‘Why are you just hitting from one side, not both sides?’ Not many kids switch-hit. I learned that going forward and how much work I had to put in to be a good hitter from both sides. These kids are workin’ on one side all the time and I had to do both. It was a lot, but I got used to it.
The crowd went nuts for you last year, being a hometown kid playing in Toronto. What was that like?
> My first at-bat was crazy. I didn’t really take in what was going on around me because I was so nervous. But I mean, I got my first RBI, and I saw the video of people standing up and clapping. My first home run, my first hit there, it was like a dream world. Everything that was going on, it didn’t feel real. All the people were so supportive. Everybody wanted to touch me, [get me to] sign something. It was crazy.
Who wanted to touch you?
> I don’t know, some fans and stuff. They’re reaching over. I’m like, ‘I gotta go!’ They’re like, ‘Aaaah!’ They just wanted to touch me on the shoulder. It’s cool though. It’s awesome.
The odds are so low to be a Toronto-area kid and play for the Jays.
> It’s incredibly special—I don’t take it for granted. I don’t know how long I’ll be playin’ this game, I don’t know how long I’ll be playing for the Blue Jays. To have the opportunity to come and represent them and be able to play for them, I mean, every day last year was a dream. I woke up and I felt like I was living in a dream. The environment that I was in, seeing myself on TV, playing on the field… I used to come to games. I was just sittin’ in the stands. In 2013 I was sittin’ in the stands, watching. Watching. A year later I was playing on the field. And one of the strength guys, Jason Dowse, was like, ‘Man, do you remember when I shook your hand and you were in the stands last year?’ And I looked over, I remembered where I was standin’. I was like ‘Man, I was standin’ right there. Now I’m on the field.’ It was unfathomable. But it’s just a credit to myself, the work I put in, and the team obviously believed in me as well.
Are you used to seeing yourself on TV?
> Not yet.
Well, you just did a live hit, right? Better get used to it.
> Yeah, exactly. And I said in that interview that I like to go out. Yeah, I’m like, ‘I like to dance, I like the nightlife, I’m a young guy.’ Now I’m like, oh man, shouldn’t have said that! [Laughs.] But whatever, I’m learning.
But please don’t tone it down.
> Yeah, guys just try to be general and whatnot sometimes. I’m gonna speak my mind. I like to go out and dance, is that so wrong? It’s not like I’m sayin’ I’m goin’ out drinking every night and whatnot. I’m just going out to dance. I think I’m a good dancer, so I like to go out and dance.
But I’m starting to get adjusted to it. TV is obviously a lot different, with the light in your face and stuff like that. When I first got called up I wasn’t used to it ‘cause I never did that in the minor leagues. After a game, you have a big game, you’re going into that scrum—that’s what they call it. The light’s in your face, and it’s a transition period. I wasn’t complaining but I’m not gonna lie, I was nervous at first. For anybody, I was 21 years old and getting thrown into that stuff, it’s just shock. I think I’ve gotten a lot better.
Were you nervous at first playing next to a guy like Bautista in the outfield?
> I don’t really get nervous about that. I get nervous about tryin’ to make the plays and worrying about different situations that could arise and whatnot. Bautista’s been great. He was helpin’ me out a lot last year just ‘cause I didn’t know hitters.
Your shoes look really comfortable, almost like slippers.
> They are. They’re Aldos or whatever. I needed some casual shoes and I don’t want to wear dress shoes all the time and not like [Nike] Air Maxes. I went into Aldo and I was lookin’ around and I saw these, and I’m like, ‘Man, I can’t pull those off.’ But I put ‘em on, I felt how comfortable they were. They’re not bad. They fit the occasion. So I was down to get ‘em, saw the price tag and I cringed. But it is what it is.
Aldo’s pretty reasonable, no?
> It was $120. But when I didn’t have that much money, cause I was in the minor leagues for so long, I tried to budget the best way I can. Obviously I can splurge on myself a little bit.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve bought yourself?
> Probably giving money to my brother to play. I gave him a couple thousand dollars so he could play this year, just to help my parents out. It was probably the most money I’ve spent other than my car.
Tristan’s quite the player.
>Yeah. He plays on team Canada. He’s doing well for himself.
Who’s the superior baseball-playing Pompey?
> I don’t know, we’ll see in a couple years. At the same time I think he is a little bit better than me, but we’re two different players. We’ll see, though. He’s got a lot to live up to, so we’ll see if he does it.