Curtis Pride, a Montgomery County sports icon, has released his new book, “I Felt the Cheers: The Remarkable Silent Life of Curtis Pride.” The book features a Foreword by National Baseball Hall of Fame and Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken, Jr.
Pride’s connection to Montgomery County runs deep. His family moved to Silver Spring, Maryland when he was two years old, and he was enrolled in the Montgomery County Public School System’s Auditory Service infant program. He later attended local neighborhood schools and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring in 1986. As a standout athlete at Kennedy, Pride excelled in baseball, basketball, and soccer, earning all-county and all-state honors in all three sports and achieving All-American status in soccer.
Pride went on to play professional baseball for 22 years, with stints on teams including the Expos, Yankees, Red Sox, Braves, Tigers, and Angels. In 1993, he made history by becoming the first deaf player to reach the major leagues in 48 years. Since 2009, he has served as the head coach of the Gallaudet University baseball team and remains active with several charity and community organizations. His accomplishments were recognized with an induction into the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
With the release of “I Felt the Cheers,” Curtis Pride shares his journey and the challenges he overcame, celebrating his legacy and his lasting connection to Montgomery County.