Nearly two years after his mother was killed by white supremacist in a South Carolina church, Chris Singleton realized his dream of playing professional baseball when the outfielder was drafted by the Chicago Cubs.
Singleton, a right-handed center fielder at Charleston Southern University, was chosen by the defending World Series champions with the final pick of the 19th round Wednesday (No. 585 overall).
Singleton's mother, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, was one of nine people killed by Dylann Roof on June 17, 2015, during a Bible study class at Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston, WLTX reported. Coleman-Singleton, 45, had taught her son at Goose Creek High School and also was a pastor.
Roof was convicted of 33 federal hate crime charges and acknowledged he was hoping to incite a race war.
Despite the tragedy, Singleton continued his college baseball career. He batted .276 with four home runs for Charleston Southern this season.
"It's a lot of God and a little bit of me right now," Singleton told the Post and Courier of Charleston. "It's timing itself up perfectly in my eyes, so it's really a blessing."
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