In 1990, Jim Knight became a professional baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, participating in batting practice as an outfielder alongside Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla. But the North Carolina native’s career didn’t last long — he was cut by the Pirates after spring training that year.
“They said, ‘Go get a real job,’” he said.
So Knight returned to his hometown, where he became a baseball coach at University of North Carolina-Greensboro and graduated with a bachelor’s degree…
