Mark Wesley Pritchard
Bio
You can call me Wesley. Former cosplayer, retro gaming fanatic, die-hard Texas Rangers fan, and nostalgic freak. Need I say more?
Threads: @misterwesleysworld
Instagram: @misterwesleysworld
Stories (398)
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Why Black History Matters in America?
The United States of America is celebrating their 250th anniversary in 2026. I'm proud to be an American and as someone who was born here, I wouldn't imagine myself living anywhere else. This is a country where opportunities are possible. Where anyone can be successful in anything they desire to do. Equality, community, and togetherness are the backbones of what America is and should be about. However, we have an administration who wants to erase and disregard those who have made positive, meaningful impacts in our country, specifically Black figures, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Maya Angelou. President Trump and his administration have been constantly complaining and fighting against what they call the "Woke agenda". They use this excuse as a distraction from other issues they refuse to address, such as the high cost of living, climate change, and inflation. That equality is dividing America, when in reality, it's bringing us together. Being woke is not tied to a specific political party. No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, you can still care about other people and their plights. Compassion and empathy for others isn't tied to a political party, either. We were taught as children to treat others the way we want to be treated and not judge others because they're different from us. Caring about others isn't a personal attack on your beliefs. It doesn't make you any less of a person. People who are easily offended over African American figures, past or present, or anything related to it, are grasping at straws. Current and future generations need to know who people like Harriet Tubman and Shirley Chisholm were, especially in the classroom. Black History is part of American History. It should be recognized, not hidden or forgotten. Besides, you can't shield children from everything, just because your feelings are easily hurt.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard about 2 hours ago in The Swamp
A Whole Lot of BS: Part One
Greetings, Vocal readers. I'm starting a new series on Vocal called A Whole Lot of BS. The intention for coming up with this series is to share the things that either irritate me, have a hard time understanding, annoy me, or all three. From sports to politics, I'm willing to share my personal gripes. If you have any topics you want to suggest to me, please leave them in the comments section down below and I will take them into consideration. For the debut story of this series, I have a bone to pick regarding Major League Baseball's End of the Year Awards, in particular, last year's winners.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard a day ago in Unbalanced
Best and Worst MLB City Connect Hats
As someone who has a small handful of Texas Rangers hats and an avid hathead, I'm eager for Opening Day to begin. In my previous stories, I've critiqued and rated the best and worst City Connect jerseys. I'll have links to both stories at the end of this story. In this story, however, I'll be critiquing one City Connect hat that I love and one that I'm not feeling at all. Please note that teams will have more than one hat design and not all hats will be featured on here.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 15 days ago in Unbalanced
The Remarkable, Heroic Life of Ted Williams
When you think of the Boston Red Sox, names such as David Ortíz, Pedro Martínez, and the late Tim Wakefield come to mind. However, the Red Sox player who is the focus of this story is none other than Ted Williams. Even if you're not a baseball fan, you've probably heard of his name at least once. Towards the end of this story, I'll share the one admirable thing Williams had done to get Major League Baseball's attention. But first, let's get to know the Hall of Famer's life and career.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 21 days ago in The Swamp
The Worst MLB City Connect Jerseys
Greetings, baseball nerds! Spring Training will be here before you know it. In my previous story, I've selected some of my favorite City Connect jerseys that stood out to me. I'll have a link to that story down below. With the good comes the bad, so I'll be highlighting six of the worst City Connect jerseys that didn't vibe well with me. We can all agree to disagree with the following selections, but if you didn't see a jersey that made the list, please comment down below. Just like my previous story, I'm only going to focus on the jerseys themselves, not the hats. A list of the best and worst City Connect hats will be featured on here in a later story.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 24 days ago in Unbalanced
The Best MLB City Connect Jerseys
In 2021, Major League Baseball released their City Connect series. A jersey's design of a team represents their respective cities cultures. Some people like them, while others loathe it. Whether it's the colors, designs, or whatever it may be, a jersey's aesthetics are meant to stand out. The Texas Rangers have since discontinued their City Connect jerseys last season, but a new design is expected to be released for the 2026 MLB regular season. The following entries are my favorite City Connect jerseys in no particular order. If you didn't see your favorite on this list, comment down below. I'll only be focusing on the jerseys themselves, not the ball caps. A list for that will be featured in a future story. For the City Connect jerseys, I'll be critiquing them based on color scheme, font, and overall appearance.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 25 days ago in Styled
Tipping My Hat, or Rather, Hats to You
Baseball hats---let's talk about them. You probably have at least one in your home and wear it. I have seven Texas Rangers hats in total, and the last one is the most recent one from August 2025. Technically, I have eight, but I'll explain that one near the end of this story. New Era has been the official baseball cap supplier since 1993. The company was founded in 1920 by Ehrhardt Koch. 59Fifty Day is celebrated annually on May 9 to honor the iconic fitted baseball cap. Many people collect baseball caps as a hobby and as a devoted hathead myself, this has been a new hobby of mine after retiring from cosplay in 2024. I do plan on buying more and have no plans on stopping anytime soon. I'll be highlighting some of my favorite Rangers caps and they're not in any particular order.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 25 days ago in Unbalanced
2006 Rose Bowl: 20th Anniversary
2006 was filled with exciting moments in sports: Kobe Bryant's 81-point game, the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl XL, and the St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series. However, there was one sporting event people were occupied to and that was the 2006 Rose Bowl, which took place in Pasadena, California. On the evening of January 4, 2006, two unbeaten teams battled it out for the coveted National Championship: Number 1 USC Trojans vs Number 2 Texas Longhorns. The Trojans were seven-point favorites prior to this matchup. Also, this game featured two of the best quarterbacks and Heisman Trophy winners: Matt Leinart and Vince Young. Finally, this game featured two legendary coaches: Pete Carroll and Mack Brown. It was and still is the greatest college football game of all time.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 28 days ago in Unbalanced
25 Years as a Texas Rangers Fan
Happy New Year, Vocal readers and subscribers! 2026 has finally arrived. 2026 is also me celebrating a quarter century of being a Texas Rangers fan. I need to correct everyone on a few details when it came to me attending my very first Rangers game in person at 13 years old. I've stated in my numerous stories on Vocal that I attended the aforementioned game soon after the tragic events of September 11. Recently, I was looking at the 2001 Texas Rangers schedule, via the Baseball Almanac's website. I was surprised that they kept records of old MLB regular season schedules and rosters going back that far. Speaking of that roster, players such as Michael Young, Kenny Rogers (not to be confused with the late, great country singer), Pudge Rodríguez, and Gabe Kapler stood out for the team. Also, Alex Rodríguez was on this team before he ended up finishing his career with the New York Yankees. As far as the exact date of when I attended my first Rangers game, it was August 22, 2001, and on a warm Wednesday evening. Yes, it was on a school night, but it would be a memory that I would cherish forever. The Rangers played the Yankees at home as part of a four-game series. When I arrived at The Ballpark in Arlington, which was their old ballpark and the name of it at the time, I was so amazed of the exterior of it. I attended the game with my now estranged father, younger brother, and one of my friends from school at the time. It was a guy's night out, but I had a great time. By the way, the Rangers won that game 8-1. The four-game series ended in a split decision between both teams. After arriving home from the game, that was the night I became a Texas Rangers fan.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard about a month ago in Unbalanced
2025 Vocal Year in Review
Greetings, Vocal readers! Before 2025 comes to a close and we welcome 2026 into our lives, I'll be going over some of my accomplishments and most impactful stories I've written from this year on Vocal. This will be the final story of 2025. Before I proceed any further, I want to say thanks to my loyal subscribers and supporters for taking the time to read my stories. You're the reason why I continue to write and publish these stories. Also, thanks to those who have sent me one-off tips. Those help out greatly, because you're supporting writers like me on Vocal. Please keep them coming, because I'll be writing and publishing new stories in the new year. If you would like for me to talk about a certain topic and offer my thoughts, please comment down below and I'll take them into consideration. The following stories are not in any particular order. Alright, let's go over some of my most impactful stories first from 2025.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 2 months ago in Writers
He's Back! A Kyle Schwarber Story
The MLB offseason has been filled with drama, mainly surrounding the New York Mets letting three of their best players sign to other teams, resulting in their fans expressing their anger towards David Stearns. However, there is some good news that will make everyone smile, especially for Philadelphia Phillies fans. The ever-talented Kyle Schwarber will be sticking around in Philly for a few more years. The three-time All-Star signed a five-year, $150 million deal and the news was music to the ears of baseball fans. Many thought he would return to the Chicago Cubs, where he won his first World Series title and was one of the main factors in snapping the team's 108-year-old championship drought. I knew he wasn't going anywhere, because he's too important of a player to just walk away. In other news, manager Rob Thomson will also be with the Phillies for a while longer. After the deal with Schwarber was made official, Thomson signed an extension through the 2027 season.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 2 months ago in Unbalanced
50 Shades of Orange
The 2025 Winter Meetings in Orlando has come to a close, but there is still a plethora of free agents who are waiting to see if any teams would claim them. However, the MLB offseason has been filled with drama. If you're a New York Mets fan, I feel your pain. I'll fill everyone else in on what has occurred for the last three weeks. The Mets traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for three-time All-Star and World Series champion Marcus Semien. Then, their closer Edwin Díaz signed a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But wait, there's more. The two-year-old question on whether or not Pete Alonso would return the team for the 2026 season had finally been answered. The 31-year-old, known as the Polar Bear, signed a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Once the news of him heading to Baltimore spread across the baseball world, Mets fans were absolutely furious. Furious might be an understatement but pissed off was an even better term to describe the outrage Mets fans have felt. Alonso was seeking a five-year deal with the Mets, but the ball club wasn't willing to offer him a deal that was more than three years. If you're keeping count, that's three players that the Mets let go of.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 2 months ago in Unbalanced
