Steven Wright: ‘42 is my number’ – How Springboro’s Bella Miller is inspired by Jackie Robinson

Keeping 42 helps Miller push herself through moments of adversity. She said when she needs to, she will recall the moments of adversity Robinson faced from the world and how he pushed through it to become, as she described him, “one of the best MLB players” ever.

She said that anything she faces on the softball field or elsewhere may seem trivial compared to what Robinson endured, but she took his story to heart. She admires him and believes it motivates her to push through any rough patch put in front of her.

“Everyone always asks me about it and they’re like, ‘well, I don’t know why you have that number because it doesn’t really mean anything to you.’ I tell them I get it, but when I was little it meant something to me and I just have kept that number for the rest of my life and it means a lot to me to have this number today.”

Leaving her legacyMiller is a career .518 hitter for Springboro through her 81-game career that has at least a dozen or so left to be played. During her junior year she set single season records for hits (54), doubles (18) and RBI (49).

She has 112 career RBIs, which is seven away from setting another new school record. Miller also has an opportunity to approach career records for doubles, home runs, and slugging percentage closer to the end of the season.

For as much of an impact she makes for the Panthers on the diamond, Coffey said her teammates recognize her impact off of it.

He said a constant discussion with the team involves asking, ‘What did you get and what are you giving your program?’ And through Miller’s four years, Coffey said her own growth into an example her peers respect has allowed her to give back to the program a ton.

“She was unanimously chosen to be one of our leaders and has just done an incredible job,” he said. “Last year was just such a pivotal year. We had a lot of seniors, and she was kind of looked at by the incoming new varsity players we added as the leader. She had already played that level of ball with the intensity and what she did to help build a culture.”

Springboro athletic director Austin Rhoads, who previously coached baseball at Lakota West and Princeton, has gotten to watch some of the best hitters come through the school. Sophie Weber, Addie Burdick, and now Miller, he said, can be placed directly in the conversation with them.

“Being around the game, you can just tell the sound off the bat when a player is special, and when Bella gets one, it just sounds different,” he said.

Robinson is a symbol of the way baseball used to be played. In his career, he is the only player in MLB history to hit at least 100 home runs, steal at least 100 bases and draw more than double the amount of walks compared to strikeouts at the plate.

There have been countless others who have finished careers with higher statistical numbers in different categories. His symbolic legacy emboldening future generations is how Miller hopes future Springboro players will similarly view her for motivational goals.

She said she believes no matter which records she may end up setting, she hopes someone goes out and tries to beat her numbers and use them as the basis of what they could also accomplish.

“It means a lot to me. That’s all I’ve ever really wanted so far in life is to come here and make an impact.”

Just like one book made an impact on Miller’s mindset in life.