Brian Duensing: Striking Out Batters, Striking Out Cancer

“I became the tackling dummy,” he said, “and at that point I said ‘enough football.’” Duensing shifted his focus to baseball, and he continued to find success on the pitcher’s mound. “I wasn’t a standout, but I worked hard and found my way up the ladder.”

Before he knew it, Duensing accepted a scholarship to the University of Nebraska. The pitcher’s breakout season came in 2005, ironically after having Tommy John surgery. Going 8-0 with a 2.60 ERA in 21 appearances, Duensing threw 15 consecutive shutout innings in the Big 12 Baseball Tournament and helped the Huskers reach the 2005 College World Series.

“I was excited, but [the reality] really hit me the day I got drafted. I remember talking to a teammate in the outfield and saying, ‘If I get drafted in the top 10 rounds, I will probably sign.’” That same afternoon, the Minnesota Twins drafted Duensing in the third round.

Duensing transitioned through several minor league teams, from the High-A Fort Myers Miracle to the AAA Rochester Red Wings.

“The highest jump was to AA,” he said. “Once you get to AA, there are still some straggler veterans that have played in the big leagues and are still hanging on—in AA, you get to see some good hitting.”

“I did a lot of learning [in Triple-A]. I learned to pitch inside and figure out what type of pitcher I had to be to get to the next level. The game of baseball has so much to do with failure—who can fail less. It takes a lot of learning, a lot of realizing who you are as a player in order to be successful.”

In 2009, Duensing seized his opportunity. When Twins pitcher Scott Baker suffered an injury, Duensing made his major league debut against the White Sox. The game sticks in his memory, as he made a three-inning stand that helped lead the Twins to a 12-5 victory. His first batter? AJ Pierzynski.

That April game proved to be only the beginning. In his six-year career in Minnesota, Duensing has pitched 599 innings and averaged a 4.13 ERA.

But there's much more to Duensing than being a strong athlete. It's his work off the field that gives a glimpse of the man behind the uniform and his desire to reach out and help others. This year, Duensing and his wife Lisa have dedicated the month of September to raising awareness to strike out childhood cancer.

It all started when a fellow Nebraska athlete gained media attention for a 63-yard touchdown play. That athlete was seven-year-old Jack Hoffman, who is suffering from brain cancer. Hoffman developed a connection with the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, and on April 6, 2013, the Huskers brought Hoffman onto the field in the fourth quarter to allow him the thrill of entering the Nebraska end zone. In July 2013, the professional sports world honored the young athlete with an ESPY award.

Hoffman’s story in particular connected with the Duensing family; in August, Lisa texted her husband with the idea of starting a T-Shirt Twitter campaign.

“At first I didn’t think it would really work,” the pitcher admitted, “but I sent out a couple of tweets, and next thing you know, we have T-shirts flooding in. [it is] unfortunate seeing so many people affected by pediatric cancer, but it’s also nice to see that sort of response.”

Duensing has two young children himself, and being a father deepens the impact of this particular cause. “To think of families that have to go through this kind of stuff is so disheartening. We just wanted to spread awareness.”

And he did just that. Throughout September, Duensing donned a new T-shirt for every day of the month—each shirt designated either a specific cancer fund or the name of a child who has been diagnosed with a form of pediatric cancer.

Duensing tweeted a daily photo of himself wearing the shirts, and with each post he included a link for followers to learn more about the cause or to donate financially.

One individual especially touched by Duensing’s campaign is Marney Gellner, sideline reporter & pre-game show host for FOX Sports North. One of Gellnar’s close friends, also from Nebraska, has a six-year-old daughter currently undergoing cancer treatments. On Sept. 21, Duensing wore a shirt in support of Katelyn.

“[brian] is just one of the great human beings in the clubhouse,” Gellner said. “He’s obviously gifted as an athlete, as a pitcher, but he’s also such a good person. What he and his wife are doing this month is such a great representation of who he is.”

Gellner is not the only one to express this sentiment. Some of Duensing’s friends and teammates have expressed gratitude for his action and an interest in joining the campaign next year. Twins pitcher Casey Fien plans to participate in the future, and former Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer and his wife also want to be involved.

Duensing emphasized the importance of professional athletes using their position to support the community and to have a positive impact on those around them. “Whether we ask for it or not, we’re put into a position where we’re in the spotlight,” says Duensing. “Kids look up to us, and with all the social media and extra media available, we’re under a larger microscope. It’s so important because we are on a platform where it’s possible to spread awareness, and people listen. They listen and they follow.”

Duensing’s Twitter followers certainly did listen and pass the word—throughout the month, over 40 shirts were delivered to the pitcher’s locker. Since there were more shirts than days of the month, he turned to his teammates to join forces. On Sept. 22, Duensing and 14 other Twins players wore T-shirts and created a video encouraging others to stand up to childhood cancer.

As the Twins season wraps up this week, Duensing’s September campaign also draws to a close. And while fans can be assured that Duensing will be preparing for the 2015 baseball season, he will also continue supporting families impacted by cancer. Whether on the field or off, Brian Duensing is going for the strike.