I had a coach that almost ruined me from baseball. Long story short, there were two of us infielders that could play either SS or 3B and we we were both heavily recruited for College. After a long, grueling season, we finally met the other high ranked team in our state(Bellaire) in the playoffs.
We played in the 8th wonder known as the Astrodome, a place we idolized as kids. There we were, under the lights with about 15K in attendance and nervous as can be. I got the nod at third and what do ya know? I got a bad hop off those terrible seams in the 2nd inning and botched a double play.
Coach Mallory called time and strutted out to me, yanked me by the ear and slammed me on the bench.....I was done for the day and totally embarrassed
I was livid because no one would have made that play. I thought long and hard after that if I wanted to continue into College but luckily I already had a scholarship at that point or I would have probably quit.
Our coah was known to be hardest on those with the most potential but that was not the time IMO, still can’t stand him to this day 30 years later