Drive, passion helped standout catcher regain strength

As an underclassman, Phil Norris aspired to become an Indiana baseball All-Star and imagined his portrait hanging on Franklin Community High School’s sports wall of fame.

But a gastrointestinal illness forced doctors to remove Norris’ large intestine in March 2010. The Grizzly Cubs catcher, who originally weighed 200 pounds, lost 85 pounds, along with his junior season; and he just hoped to lead a normal life again one day.

“I remember after getting sick, thinking that there wasn’t a shot in my life that I was ever going to get to be an all-star, let alone play baseball again, because I’m sick and weak,” Norris said. “I questioned it a lot.”

Instead of giving up, however, Norris fought back and made a full recovery. The recent graduate was named Franklin’s MVP this season and an all-Mid-State Conference player. Then, he got even better news.

Norris recently was selected to the South All-Star Team and will play in the 2012 Indiana High School North-South All-Star Series on July 14-15 at Ruxer Field in Jasper.

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