Meet Jason Szuminski: rocket scientist, big league pitcher and Air Force Reservist

Citizen Airman, June, 2004 by Bo Joyner

Lieutenant Szuminski believes the four years he spent at MIT definitely helped him in his quest to be a Major League pitcher.

"The world of baseball and MIT could not be more different, but making it through MIT gave me the confidence to think I can jump into anything and be successful," he said.

Back on campus, Lieutenant Szuminski is something of a celebrity. That's not surprising when you consider that the school has produced 57 Nobel Prize winners but only one big league ball player. In fact, he is only the second Engineer player ever to be drafted by a Major League team. The first was another pitcher, Alan Dopfel, who was taken in the third round by the Angels in 1972 but never made it to "the Show."

Jason made his Major League debut April 11 during a nationally televised Sunday night game against the San Francisco Giants and future Hall-of-Famer Barry Bonds. He gave up one unearned run in one inning and got Mr. Bonds out on a fly ball to left field.

"I knew I was going to pitch to him," Lieutenant Szuminski said. "I was trying to go with my strengths and get him out. I got a front-row seat at how strong he is. I thought he popped that ball up, and it wound up going pretty deep."

(Editor's note: Lieutenant Szuminski was offered back to the Chicago Cubs on May 11. The Cubs accepted the big righthander and, as of press time, Lieutenant Szuminski was pitching for the Cubs' Triple A team in Des Moines, Iowa. He is currently trying to work his way back up to the Major Leagues.)