SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT DEC 13, 2018
At 71 years old, Alan Van Praag is just happy to be playing a kid’s game.
The Wellington senior doesn’t see himself as an inspiration despite the fact he was a promising young tennis player whose career was cut short by a freak injury that left him paralyzed on his left side.
“I thought my life was over,” said Van Praag, who was playing football in the streets of Brooklyn when an object went into his eye and penetrated his brain. He was paralyzed on the left side of his body. He was critical for six weeks and hospitalized for seven months.
“I had great support from my family and friends,” said Van Praag, whose team is the Brooklyn Bums, is one of 85 seniors playing in the Tuesday afternoon Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League at Village Park in Wellington. He is also a prominent attorney practicing international law. “I came back. I have traveled all over the world and been to more than 100 countries as an international lawyer. There is nothing I don’t do or won’t do. I have had a wonderful life and a wonderful career.”
He quickly dismisses the notion of being an inspiration. Van Praag was a member of the U.S. Junior Davis Cup team when he was in high school.
“I think I am just a regular guy,” Van Praag said. “I don’t think of myself as an inspiration. I just put one foot in front of the other and do my thing.”
Van Praag said the camaraderie among the players is second to none.
“We all care about each other and there is always some good-natured ribbing,” he said. “We always pick on each other and we love each other. If you can’t hit the ball, it’s okay. That’s the way it is. It is a lot of fun. They accept you as a person, which was wonderful.
“I am very tough,” he continued. “I have been hurt a lot in my life and I just keep going forward. I came back, and nothing stops me. I’ve been practicing international law for 47 years.”
The support from the start has been something not lost on Van Praag.
“It makes me feel very comfortable that everyone is rooting for you,” Van Praag said. “Since day 1, they have been rooting for me. I couldn’t hit a ball for a while. They are always giving me encouragement and they always are saying good things about me. They always come over and give me a handshake whether I strike out or not. Whatever I do they give me encouragement.”
Van Praag said he never thought he’d be playing stickball five years later.
“I didn’t think I would be competent enough to play stickball when I first came here,” Van Praag said. “Marty Ross is a great guy, who encouraged me and I came out and the guys just keep me going. I just love what I am doing.”
Van Praag has overcome obstacles his entire life. He used to be a left-handed tennis player and converted to playing right-handed. He also taught himself to write right-handed and went back to college and became a prominent attorney.
“I do everything,” Van Praag said. “I play stickball. I play tennis. I am in the gym seven days a week, two hours a day. I work out all of the time and I have a wonderful, wonderful wife. The best decision I ever made in my life was my wife Lynne. We just celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary.”
Van Praag draws praise from his peers.
“Alan gets up there and tries and there are others that get up there and they can’t do it,” said Steven Menzer, 70, who also plays for the Brooklyn Bums.
Ross, who is affectionately known as “The Commish,” has been running the stickball league for the past 17 years and said Van Praag is definitely an inspiration to everyone he comes in contact with.
“That is the coolest thing to see,” Ross said. “I invited him to play in the league four years ago. He couldn’t even walk properly. This gives him happiness that is second to none. He’s been playing since 2014-15 and we make him feel welcome whether he hits the ball or not.
“He couldn’t even walk or standup when he got here and just by being in this environment, the therapy, the closeness of everything, he’s made just great strides,” Ross added. “He is all heart.”
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