Student athlete Jack Omstead bridging gap between diamond and arts
To Jack Omstead of the Ontario Terriers, baseball is art ... and art is baseball. Photo: Tyler King
July 29, 2016
By Tyler King
Canadian Baseball Network
Since baseball’s inception, there has been a tendency for people to talk about the game using overtly poetic language. It’s not surprising to hear the act of playing the sport referred to as a sort-of symphony, or a hitter’s swing being touted as a work of art.
To those who don’t follow the sport closely, this type of musical or artistic phraseology may be dismissed as mere metaphor, perhaps as a way of adding meaning to a game that at its base is rather un-poetic. For what is baseball really, other than 18 people trying to hit and catch a round leather object?
On the other hand, to those who play (and indeed those who watch) baseball’s romantic quality likely seems obvious, if not indisputable:
Elite outfielders are said to be able to read the sound of the ball off the bat, allowing them to get a quick first jump. A pitcher who is struggling to throw strikes is often described as out of rhythm, or at the very least out of sync (whereas one who is throwing strikes is said to be painting the corners). Hitters stepping into the box know they must have perfect timing in order to square a 90 MPH fastball; and various technical movements - from leg-kicks to toe-taps - are utilized for that very reason.
It’s therefore curious that many people are surprised to find out a certain baseball player (or any athlete for that matter) also doubles as a great musician or artist.
Imagine their surprise when they find someone who can do all three ...
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For Ontario Terriers outfielder Jack Omstead, art, music, and baseball are all major and seemingly inseparable parts of his daily life. They are not simply hobbies, as the St. Michael’s College senior is quick to point out. Rather they are more akin to “passions” and, quite possibly, eventual career choices.
If you followed the 18-U Terriers on their recent trip to the Sandlott World Championships in Nashville, you’d be forgiven if you thought baseball was Omstead’s sole talent. He was arguably the team’s best hitter that week, posting a .471 AVG over six games and adding five RBI.
But even with Omstead’s superior play, it was with a twinge of nervousness each time Terriers manager Scott Van de Valk wrote his name on the lineup card.
The Terriers skipper joked with the Canadian Baseball Network that he didn’t want Omstead playing - because he didn’t want him to hurt his hands.
It seemed like an odd thing to say at the time, that is until Van de Valk added, “You have to see his art. It’s unbelievable.”
Once Omstead pulled out his cellphone and flashed photo of one of his recent paintings - a portrait of physicist Albert Einstein done in a colourful, almost impressionistic style - it all made sense. The manager was simply looking out for all of Omstead’s gifts.
Oil on canvas "Einstein" painting by Jack Omstead.
“I didn’t know what I was doing,” Omstead said about his recently completed Einstein painting. “I just wanted to do something different ... I didn’t really know how to do it.”
That seems almost impossible until you find out he has also self-taught himself the piano and guitar, and now even writes his own chords and lyrics.
“I’m actually more passionate about music than art,” Omstead said. “I never really had [music] lessons but it’s always been something I enjoy. If I’m not playing baseball or doing school work, I’m doing music. And when I’m in school I’d rather be doing art than anything else.
“Whenever I have free time I’ll just start playing the piano. If I hear something that I like I’ll start thinking of lyrics ... When I’m on team bus rides for baseball it’s all I’ll do. Just music.”
Having self-taught himself art and music, it seems logical that Omstead would also approach baseball with the same mentality, and perhaps even be resistant towards any outside advice. But the young outfielder admits the sport doesn’t come as easy.
“On the surface baseball doesn’t look that complicated, but the more you play it the more you realize how complex the game is,” Omstead explained. “Not to say that playing 88 keys in perfect harmony is easy, because it’s not. But you could go your whole life watching baseball and still learn new things about the game everyday. Baseball is a whole different world ...”
Despite having no true musical mentors, Omstead admits he’s had to rely on others when it comes to baseball.
“There are so many different aspects to the game that you can’t teach yourself, you have to rely on the wisdom and insight of your peers and coaches to help you. I have been fortunate enough to have had great coaching throughout my life so far, especially with the Terriers organization.”
That’s not to say Omstead’s artistic side can’t influence the way he learns and plays on the field - as there seems to be a creative side to many baseball players that goes largely undocumented.
Even at the major league level, there has been a long history of players who have also dabbled in the arts.
Bernie Williams - who hit .297 over 16 seasons with the New York Yankees, from 1991-2006 - was an advocate for music and art throughout his professional career. After he retired he became a musician, releasing two albums. Williams was even nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2009, and co-wrote a book on the link between baseball and music, titled Rhythms of the Game.
A more modern example is that of pitcher Bronson Arroyo, who played for the Cincinnati Reds as recently as 2014. While with the Boston Red Sox in 2005, Arroyo released his own album where he covered songs from bands such as Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam. Teammates Johnny Damon, Lenny DiNardo and Kevin Youkilis also appeared on the album.
Relief pitcher Drew Storen, who was traded from the Blue Jays to the Seattle Mariners just a few days ago, is an avid amateur painter, often doing portraits of his favourite movies and pop-culture icons.
Although all these talents may appear to be completely disparate from baseball (ie. what does strumming a guitar or putting paint on a canvas have to do with hitting a ball?) Omstead believes that they can be interconnected. And the skills he learns on the baseball field do in fact influence his art, and vice versa.
“I have always been a visual person inside and outside of the classroom. In baseball I feel as though I can see plays before they happen and in art I see the finished product before it’s done,” Omstead said.
On the website which showcases his art, Omstead writes: “Art has taught me many invaluable life lessons, such as learning and adjusting from mistakes ... Mistakes are able to show us how to adapt to sudden changes in our daily lives and this case, our artwork.”
Baseball has always been considered a game of mistakes, or more bluntly, one of failure. It’s often reiterated that the best hitters fail 70% of the time, so it’s not hard to see why Omstead acknowledges that the lessons he learns from art and music also help him on the field.
“Sudden changes are a part of life and I think that baseball reflects that in some respect. For example, if you make an error out on the field or you strike out at the plate, it doesn’t make sense to dwell on it. Instead, like a mistake on a canvas, take that mistake, learn from it and make the most out of the next opportunity. You’re going to have to move on at some point, so why not move on right away?
“Baseball has taught me that what you put in is what you get out,” Omstead added. “If you put in the time, the quality of your work shows. For example, if you only put in a few hours a week in the off-season it will be obvious in the way you play. Same with art or music. Cutting corners doesn’t work.”
After going 8-for-17 in the Sandlott World Championships, facing some of the best young talent in the United States, it’s obvious Omstead is dedicated to his craft. And with the 15 hour bus-ride back to Toronto, who knows just what kind of music he wrote that week as well.
In the end it becomes clear that the most important question for Omstead is which of the three - art, music or baseball - is his first love.
But to that he doesn’t even hesitate:
“Baseball. For sure.”
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To view more of Jack Omstead’s art, visit the website.