Rather than dip out of the sky in a reindeer-pulled sleigh, he’s known for a wicked sinker ball that drops right out of the strike zone.
Other than that, Justin Masterson is very much like his jelly-bellied brother. He’s certainly been as busy as him this December.
A couple of weeks ago, the Cleveland Indians pitcher from Beavercreek High School went with his wife Meryl on their annual trip to the impoverished little Dominican village as part of One Child Matters, a ministry organization that helps people – and especially children – in need. The group assists with everything from educational opportunities and medical exams to community needs like a new well, generators and even a new ball field and baseball equipment.
A little over a week ago when the couple returned to their central Indiana home, Justin helped his wife fill nearly 500 orders – some coming to Southwest Ohio, a few going as far away as Afghanistan to U.S. soldiers – for her Meryl Masterson’s Home Plate Cookies, a grass roots venture she turned into a business that donates all its profits to charity.
Throughout the year Justin is active in the Cleveland Indians Charities. He speaks in schools – including his old grade school, Parkwood Elementary in Beavercreek – on the importance of education and once spoke to over 5,000 people at the Pentagon’s weekly prayer breakfast. Among his baseball teammates – first with the Boston Red Sox and now the Indians – he leads bible study sessions.
But it’s his interaction with an inner city Boys & Girls Club in Cleveland that may be most telling.
He was the Opening Day starter for the Indians last year, but finished the season 11-15 with a 4.93 earned run average, the highest of what’s been a notable six-year career.
“Yeah, the kids make fun of me when I don’t pitch well,” he said with a laugh. “That’s honesty and that’s what makes it so great. They’ll say, ‘Hey, what happened this year?’
“And I’m like, ‘I’m sorry, man, I tried. It doesn’t always work out how you want.’
“Then they’ll go, ‘We know. We feel for you.’”
Those personal, from-the-heart connections show up in everything he does both in the clubhouse and out in the community and that’s why the Indians nominated him last year for Major League Baseball’s prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, which goes to a player who combines a dedication to giving back to the community with worthy accomplishment on the field.
Yet when you ask him why he gets so involved in the lives of others – after all his plate is full with his career and he and Meryl’s two-year-old daughter, Eden – his answer comes quickly, with no hesitation:
“For me, the better question is ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ Why wouldn’t someone do everything they can – especially someone who has been blessed beyond belief?
“Not everyone has the opportunity to play Major League Baseball because they aren’t gifted enough. Others are gifted, but still don’t catch the right break. Some of it is just being in the right place at the right time.
“But the Lord has given us so much, so it’s the least we can do to help those who are in need and try to impact lives.
“As it says in Scripture: ‘To whom much is given, much is expected.’”
Faith rooted in upbringing
Masterson’s outlook has a lot to do with his upbringing.
He’s the son of a preacher and a teacher.
His father, Rev. Mark Masterson, was the longtime pastor at Creekside Community Church in Beavercreek and now has the interim position at Trinity Missionary Church in Springfield. His mom, Judy, taught at Parkwood Elementary and this past semester was a first grade teacher at Mooresville Christian Academy in Mooresville, Ind.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica where his dad taught at a theological seminary, Justin grew up in the church and would play drums and guitar in the “praise band” during religious services.
Along with being a standout athlete at Beavercreek, he was the homecoming and the prom king, the president of the student council and headed the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ group.
After Notre Dame bypassed him when he missed a recruiting visit because of food poisoning, he went the Bethel College, a small, Christian, NAIA school in Mishawaka, Ind., and then transferred to San Diego State, where he played for future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.
While in college, Justin had two life-impacting experiences. He made his first trip to the Dominican Republic – his team played games there – and he met Meryl Ham from Mishawaka.
“It’s pretty incredible to meet someone with the same aspirations as you, someone who wants to open their heart to others in need,” he said. “It’s been a process with us that’s continued to grow. Like everyone else, we get caught up in the day-to-day worries and complaints of life, but if you get out there, you see the needs and demands are so much bigger than what you have.
“Like I said, we have been so blessed in life. We can’t forget that. And the truth is, it’s not just those we’re trying to help who are learning from us. We’re learning from them.”
Cookies make a difference
When they both went to Bethel, Meryl used to bake cookies for Justin and then for his teammates, as well. All the ball players loved them and it was the same when her husband broke into the big leagues with Boston in 2008.
Although Justin made a big splash with the Sox — going 6-5 with a 3.16 ERA that rookie season — his wife made a lasting impression, too, with her selection of oversized cookies. Soon other ballplayers were ordering them and then so were stadium workers and even fans. Eventually a hobby became a small business for her.
Initially, she baked the cookies in her home and gave them baseball names like Batter Up Butterscotch Oatmeal, Pinch Hit Peanut Butter, Bases Loaded Chocolate Chip and Grand Slam Snickerdoodle.
“My favorite, by far, is the butterscotch oatmeal,” Justin said with a laugh.” I never really knew I was a huge fan of butterscotch, but put it with oatmeal and it’s just a match made in heaven.”
As the business has grown, Meryl has moved the baking operation to a commercial kitchen in Indianapolis. But she and Justin still package many of cookies at home.
Justin said the focus of his wife’s business changed, in part, after she read a book by an 18-year-old girl from Nashville, Tenn., who had been the homecoming queen and senior class president, but stunned everyone, especially her folks, when she skipped college and left her boyfriend to move to Uganda.
“The book is called ‘Kisses from Katie,’” he said. “It’s about this young girl who fell in love with the people in Africa and started impacting lives. She adopted a bunch of children (13) and has started a ministry there. The story really touched my wife’s heart and she said, ‘You know, let’s take all the profits we make from the cookie business and use them to try to feed those who are hungry around the world.”
When her efforts and her website — merylscookies.com — got mentioned with a two-page photo in ESPN the Magazine in October, the cookie business took off.
“After our December orders here we should have another $5,000 or$6,000 to send down to the Dominican to help feed those children,” Justin said.
Impacting lives
Justin first went to Bonagua De Moca with One Child Matters — then called Mission of Mercy — in 2009.
“The first time we built a baseball field there in what had been a field of banana trees or plantains as they’re called,” he said. “We were able to get some equipment and gloves from adidas and Rawlings and that was a big deal. I mean when we first got there a lot of kids didn’t even have shoes. But no matter what the circumstance, everyone in the Dominican loves baseball.”
The group — which now also includes former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aaron Myette and Minnesota Twins prospect Kyle Gibson — built a two-story pavilion and a basketball court and at the opening ceremonies, onsite medical exams were given in conjunction with the inaugural baseball game.
Although the Mastersons didn’t return in 2010 — Meryl was about to give birth — they were back in 2011 and again a couple of weeks ago.
“Each year is a little different,” Justin said. “We have different projects and people are getting to know us better and see we really do care. And in the process, we’re building deeper, more meaningful relationships.”
And the more involved he gets, the more he said he realizes this is what life is about:
“I guess it started with my parents, they set a good example and their love for Christ and His example led me to where I am. In your life you see a lot of things and then you have to decide if you really take it to heart or you just pass it by.
“I realized you can live life for yourself, but in the end I don’t think it’s as fulfilling. When you’re able to impact other people’s lives and know they are being taken care of, what is better than that? And it enriches you, too.”
And on this day that seems to underscore what Christmas really should be about.
Of course, Masterson also makes a pretty good Santa, too.
In fact, he’s got one up on the old sleigh-bell sugar daddy.
He brings his own cookies.
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