Perry Panthers' Ethan Bearden turns to landscaping to earn money toward baseball dream

PERRY, Ga. — The 2020 baseball season didn’t finish as planned for the Perry Panthers or for the rest of the country, for that matter.

“We were looking at going pretty deep,” says Ethan Bearden. “Last year, we made it to the Sweet Sixteen, we were hoping to go a little bit farther this year, so it is what it is.”

But missing a season of quality at-bats and fielding opportunities for the junior outfielder cuts down on his chances of earning a scholarship, so Ethan has a plan B -- playing travel ball in in the summer -- but it’s not cheap.

“Right now, some of the money I’m trying to get goes to my parents for trying to pay for summer travel ball,” Bearden explains. “It’s really important to get some stats and send it out to scouts and stuff.”

So Ethan is still hitting the turf, but he’s not rounding bases or catching pop flies. This time he’s cutting grass, edging, mulching, laying pine straw, trimming hedges, and even pressure-washing so he can make a few bucks to live out his dream and burn some calories in the process.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve always been out cutting yards with my dad,” says Bearden. “Using the chainsaw to cut down trees and all that kind of stuff. I was always outdoors. It comes easy to me and something I enjoy doing. It’s a workout.”

Ethan says he still gets in swings at an indoor cage at a nearby friend's house and manages to workout at a neighbor's makeshift gym in the garage, so he’s ready when that time to return to the diamond comes. 

His ”Field of Dreams” is thanks to his hard work on this field of greens.

Bearden explains, “Makes me feel like I’m a part of getting there. It’s not just my parents doing it, it’s me helping them out and getting my name out there for people to see.”

Now, Ethan is just waiting for your call! Has mower, will travel -- so give him a call at 478-244-1352. 

Ethan is hopeful summer ball will pick up around early June.

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