Who is Rickey Hill? 'The Hill' protagonist's real-life story, explored

Baseball fans are eagerly awaiting the release of "The Hill", which depicts the real-life story of Rickey Hill, a former baseball player with a degenerative spine disorder. The film is set to hit the big screen on Friday, August 25.

Hill was born on August 15, 1956, in Fort Worth, Texas. His father was a Baptist preacher who came from a low-income family.

According to reports, Hill faced many challenges during his childhood. He was born with a degenerative spine disorder. A the age of five, he needed leg braces to walk but that didn't stop him from playing baseball, a sport that he fell in love with for as long as he could remember.

When Hill was seven, his elder brother Robert would invite him to play with his teenage friends. Robert used to pitch stones at Rickey, who swung at them with a stick.

Two years later, Hill opted to take off his leg braces when he felt a remarkable improvement in his athleticism. He quickly grabbed the eye of many for his hitting ability as well.

Hill's determination to play baseball, despite the challenges around him, eventually landed him a contract with the Montreal Expos in 1975. He was just 19 at the time and living his dream after overcoming several obstacles in his childhood.

Unfortunately, just as Hill's baseball career was about to take off, his career was cut short due to his spine disorder in 1978. Despite playing only four seasons in the Minor League, his story serves as an inspiring tale of perseverance and triumph.

Ever since closing his chapter with baseball, Rickey Hill has followed in the footsteps of his father. He presently dedicates his life to sharing the word of the Lord and credits God for his brief stint in the Minor Leagues.

Hill also hopes that his story on "The Hill" will inspire many to fight against the odds in order to reach their goal.

Rickey Hill's Minor League stats

Rickey Hill's baseball career and stats

Rickey Hill signed for the Montreal Expos in 1975. He played with Lethbridge in his first season, recording 23 hits and one home run.

In 1976, Hill played for Rio Grande Valley, managing 19 hits and two homers in 34 games. The following year, he joined Texas City and put up 75 hits with eight home runs in 65 matches. During his final year in the Minors, Hill racked up 64 hits and 15 homers across 63 games for Grays Harbor.

Across four seasons in the Minor Leagues, Hill recorded 205 hits and 26 home runs in 201 games with a .298 batting average. Unfortunately, his ultimate dream of playing in the MLB was cut short due to his spine disorder.