By Neil Hopwood
editor

Orlando Hudson had a big week. Promotional event in Puerto Rico. Talk of a potential multi-million dollar free agent contract in Major League Baseball. Flight to Texas for something. Reading to kids at Brunson-Dargan Elementary School. In Arizona, introducing his father Marcus to boyhood idol Muhammad Ali. Keynote speaker at the Fall Sports Banquet for Darlington High School. Getting married to Keisa Carr near Atlanta at Stone Mountain Park.

Wait, what was that? Keynote speaker at the Fall Sports Banquet for Darlington High School?!

Indeed, an admittedly stretched thin but still enthusiastic Hudson addressed the athletic student body at Darlington High School this past Wednesday night, three days before his wedding. Hudson, who graduated from Darlington High as a three sport athlete (in baseball, football and basketball), warned students not to rest all their hopes on athletics.

Hudson’s story is the exception, not the rule. More opportunities than ever are out there, but strong academics will most likely provide those chances. Competition is fierce, so don’t pass up higher education chances, either, he coached.

“I’ve been through it all,” Hudson said after his speech. “I’ve seen some great athletes get caught up on the wrong side. I wanted to congratulate them on their accomplishments, but at the same time [warn them] it’s a wild world out there.”

Hudson thanked former and current DHS coaches and teachers for supporting him when he was a youngster in Darlington, and also his parents were in attendance. Orlando told the audience his mother used to threaten to pull him from sports when his grades lagged behind.

Hudson was supposed to get married this same time of year last year but postponed it due to his mother being sick. She was excited about the big event and the fact the family was coming together, as was Hudson’s father Marcus.

“He’s ready to settle down, I’m really glad for him,” Marcus said.

His father revealed that Hudson as a child favored football over baseball, but his father steered him toward baseball instead.

“He’s living the dream, and he’s making the best out of it,” Marcus said. “He’s doing it the right way, because there’s a lot of wrong out there.”

Kids need parental support or else they’re doomed to fail, he said.

His father is getting more than his son’s appreciation in return.

The day before his speech in Darlington, Hudson and his father Marcus hung out with legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. Marcus had idolized Ali when he was a young man, as Ali won his boxing world championships, famously refused service in Vietnam and crusaded for civil rights.

Hudson kept it a secret that the meeting was happening (Ali lives in Arizona where Hudson has befriended him).

“It was like he saw six ghosts,” Hudson said of his father’s face when he saw Ali. “He couldn’t say anything. He just stared for five minutes with his mouth open.”

Hudson may have a similar look on his face when he signs his next baseball contract. The rumor mill spun like a top this past week concerning teams potentially interested in signing the free agent. He’s going to the Cleveland Indians. Or is it the San Francisco Giants? What about his current team, the Arizona Diamondbacks? Uh-oh, they apparently made an offer to free agent infielder Ramon Vazquez, signaling they were bailing on Hudson, as expected. We think.

When quizzed about it, Hudson clearly wasn’t in the decision-making mood this week. Guess throwing a lavish wedding with celebrity guests such as Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child is stressful.

“It’s all talk—we still got a ways to go,” he said.

Worried about getting married first?

“No, I’m going to worry about getting some sleep first,” he joked.

Despite his fatigue, Hudson stayed quite a while after the long banquet, signing autographs and chatting with students and anyone who approached him. And the next day, before hopping on a flight for Atlanta to finalize his wedding preparations, he was reading to kids at Brunson-Dargan Elementary School.