There are a lot of things in life that the common person never gets to experience. Being a twin is one of those things. I became a twin on September 10th, 1981 when I made my arrival 28 minutes after my brother, but it's been anything but an easy ride.
For Elijah and Christian Crist --in no particular order-- the always-winding journey of life on separate paths has officially begun after the brothers ended their high school baseball careers against Victory Christian in the State Tournament and an unforgettable graduation to follow.
At Today In Fort Smith, it was our intention to broadcast a little Vian baseball before the 2018 season ended but too many uncontrollable issues worked against that task being completed. With the teacher walkout and storm season in full effect, our schedules didn't match up. Some teams played through and some teams stayed dormant. So the only fair thing to do is give them a spotlight now that we couldn't make happen before.
Getting back to business, I was able to go 2-on-1 with the duo to ask the questions and get the answers. One thing very evident in our conversations was how much respect and admiration Elijah and Christian have for their former coach, John Brockman. A United States Marine always, Coach Brockman led the Vian Wolverines baseball program through an unforgettable 2018 season, complete with a playoff appearance, 36 wins, and a state rank of 21.
But an unsung hero in the life of Elijah and Christian Crist is someone we didn't talk about in the interview. A man who helped shape the boys into the young men they are today. A man who stood larger than life in their eyes. Also, a man they have great respect and admiration for... but on a different level.
The man I'm referring to is their late grandfather, Johnny Gates. From past conversations (and paying attention on Facebook), I was able to get a feel for what means the most in life to the guys, and their grandfather happened to be at the top of the list. Johnny passed away in 2016 but Elijah and Christian carry his lessons with them now more than ever as they begin life on their own. Unbeknownst to the brothers, their spotlight here is dedicated to Johnny's memory.
I began the interview on a light note, talking about baseball, and we just cruised from there.
CLINT:
"You guys just finished a bang-up season and ended your career as Vian Wolverines. Did you accomplish more out of the season than you originally expected, or did you know you'd be such a force before you stepped on the field?"
CHRISTIAN:
"Coming into the season, I knew we would be a major force. We returned everyone but two starters and had a few young guys step up and and play a major role in our pitching staff, like Austin Taylor and Brett McElhaney."
ELIJAH:
"We had a spectacular team and we had all of the pitching we needed this year. It helped a lot whenever we could go to our two go-to sophomores (Brett and Austin) to get on the bump to do the job."
CLINT:
"Since you've mentioned names, Vian baseball was a county favorite this year and you guys were spoken of very favorably by the media. Looking back on the season, if you could pin the tail on the donkey (so-to-speak) who's your season MVP and why?"
CHRISTIAN:
"Austin Taylor. He entered into some very tight situations as a reliever or closing pitcher, as a Sophomore, and put games away on the bump. He never seemed to be under pressure."
ELIJAH:
"Honestly, I would say Austin Taylor, too. He was a sophomore with no varsity experience or anything and we threw him in the game against Beggs with bases loaded, with us up 5-4, and he closed them out acting like he had no worry in the world. Austin was put into some bad situations and but he did his job all year long. He sometimes had to go away from his closing job and pitch almost a whole game at some point."
CLINT:
"Let's talk about your coach a little bit. Firstly, he's a Marine. Most people would think 'drill instructor' when they hear that, but what was it like to be able able to play under him and what did he bring to the table that stands out from any other mentor you've ever had in baseball?"
ELIJAH & CHRISTIAN:
"Every little detail of the game, he knew exactly what was going on. He was hard on us because he knew what kind of talent was on the whole squad this year. At the same time it was relaxed as long as we were handling business. If we weren’t, then he’d make sure we started to handle business. Coach Brockman has taught us a lot and is also a very humble coach. He made sure we played with class always, no matter if we won or loss. Coach Ramos would also break down everything and made sure we were on point from pitching to fielding to hitting. Even made sure we were on point on our first step stealing. These two coaches made sure we had fun while playing the game. Never dreaded a day of practice or game days ever. They made it the best years of baseball ever since we started at Vian our 6th grade year."
CLINT:
"Since you touched on your history at Vian, how did you become Wolverines to begin with?"
CHRISTIAN:
"Well, the summer before my sixth grade year. I started playing for Dennis Fletcher as a Wolverine and my parents decided to get us over to Vian that fall. The summer after sixth grade is whenever we began to play for Coach Ramos on the Yard Dawgz and we’ve played for him ever since at Vian."
ELIJAH:
"We moved to Vian from Gore in the 6th grade. When we got there we really didn’t know what to expect. Started off playing for the Yard Dawgz and we learned a lot about the game of baseball and the mechanics and fundamentals of the game and we developed a lot since then."
CLINT:
"I've noticed you guys have a twin bond that my twin brother and I don't share. We've always been complete opposites. Watching you two throughout baseball season, you seem to have a chemistry on the field. Is it like that off the field too? And how has it helped you guys prepare for adult life?"
ELIJAH:
"We have good chemistry off the field. It has prepared me I think because we force each other to strive for something we want and it will help us be successful in life. And we know we will always have each other’s backs no matter what."
CHRISTIAN:
"No matter what happens, we have each other’s back. On the field, we did not take each other lightly. We pushed each other to our limits. We always put in extra work together lifting, fielding, and hitting. Off the field, we are closer than ever, even if we don’t see some things the same we are still brothers. I know that I’ve got him in any time of need and he’s got me."
CLINT:
"That's good stuff! Now that you've graduated and hung up the purple and gold, what are you guys up to this summer and what are your plans in the fall? College? Military? Oilfield? Anybody getting married or having kids?" (laughing)
ELIJAH:
"Not getting married or having kids! My plans are to work on the ranch (that me and Christian own) in Gore most of the summer to get things going out there. In the fall, I will be attending Carl Albert and majoring in allied health to get into the physical therapy assistant program there."
CHRISTIAN:
"My plans are to continue working for Kisselburg Construction Crew and continue through school going through Construction Management."
CLINT:
"Looking back now, a lot of years have passed. I had a baseball coach in high school who said, "One of the hardest and most important things you can do in life is to give credit where it's due." That piece of advice has always stuck with me. Through all your failures, successes, and lessons learned in life, who has been the most influential on you and who deserves credit for turning you guys into the educated and motivated young men you are right now?"
ELIJAH:
"Well it’s not only just one person that has motivated me to strive to better myself. I’d give credit to Coach Brockman and my FFA teacher, Mr. Trotter. They have both told me no matter what the situation is you gotta keep your head up and keep trucking on. Mr. Trotter taught me a lot about myself and so has Coach Brockman. They have both turned me into a hard working young man. One lesson I’ve really learned by those two are to be gracious and respectful to others. I hope one day I can grow up to be like them."
CHRISTIAN:
"I would like to agree with Elijah. Both Coach Brockman and Mr. Trotter taught me leadership, how to be a humble person, and they also showed us what it’s like to be a part of a winning program. If we are to lose in a FFA competition or we are to lose a ball game, they didn’t make excuses. It’s on us (the team) to correct the mistakes and we were going to be just fine. They both taught that very well. Nothing came easy with these two. You gotta work to be winners. It’s easy to be a loser. They also showed how to act with class when you're out and about places. Those two guys are as humble and determined as they come."
One thing I can say for these guys is that they're focused, determined, and optimistic about the future and I appreciate the time Elijah and Christian spent answering questions with me. I think it may be the first time in my life that I've sat and talked with other twins but I'm glad I got to know these two more and I'm as optimistic about their future as they are.
One piece of solid advice I can give to twins is that you can agree or disagree all day, BUT... as you get older, certain issues become more important to some than others. Put your relationship with each other higher than any man-made issue and never lose sight of each other's best interest. And always remember, it takes the two of you to always make it work.
From all of us at Today In Fort Smith, along with our friends at Sequoyah County Farm Bureau and the Tire Squad in Roland, we congratulate Elijah and Christian Crist on their graduation from Vian High School and would like to wish them the very best!
