Play Ball: CHS Alum Makes It to the Majors

On June 8th, Cranford High School alum Rob Chamra heard four words that would change his life: “You’re a Dodger, congratulations.”

Class of 2006 graduate Rob Chamra was drafted to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 34th round of the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. The pitcher, who towed the rubber for North Carolina State, was the sixth of his teammates chosen to play professionally. Chamra played ball for Cranford ever since Little League, and his passion for the game never waned. The announcement validated his years of hard work, and he could not be more thrilled.

“It feels good, I’m very excited,” Chamra said in a phone interview. “After my name was called, I was relieved. I’m very excited and anxious to play professional baseball.”

Those who witnessed Chamra’s journey as a player were excited as well. Cranford High School Athletic Director Marc Taglieri called Chamra, “a great kid on and off the field,” and believed his success was a testament to his diligence.

“Obviously we were thrilled for Rob and his family,” he said. “It's the culmination of a lot of years of hard work for him, and it's great to see Cranford have a first draft pick in the major league. He was always a leader in the classroom and with the team, and I think that's why we're not surprised this happened to him.”

Cranford Baseball coach Dennis McCaffrey was fortunate enough to receive a phone call from Chamra shortly after the draft.

“I was very happy and proud for him,” McCaffrey said. “Rob always was able to throw the ball very well. We've had a lot of very good players come through Cranford, so there's been a number of kids you hope could really grow as players. I was very happy to see that Rob was drafted.”

Chamra almost had the opportunity to play professional ball his junior year, but it was not in the cards. Following that disappointment, he honed his skills in Cape Cod, and returned to the mound with a renewed tenacity.

“I think Cape Cod helped me a lot,” he said. “I put up really good numbers there, and there’s 10 to 15 scouts at every game and 10 to 15 agents. I kind of got my name out there and backed up what I did the year before. I came back and pitched well in the fall.”

Chamra’s talents drew him a lot of attention, and the scout meetings and letters of interest came pouring in. By the time the spring draft rolled around, he received a few phone calls asking if he would like to play professionally. Chamra answered, “Yes,” without hesitation.

“My phone started ringing, I had over 100 texts and over 20 calls,” Chamra said when the announcement went public. “My phone was off the hook. It’s a great feeling.”

Both Taglieri and McCaffrey saw professional caliber in Chamra at an early age. Even as a young kid, Chamra possessed the drive and motivation to make it to the big time.

“The first time I saw him pitch my first year here, he was a freshman pitching on the JV team,” Taglieri said. “I kind of knew at that point that he had that kind of potential, and it would just be a matter of him putting in the effort, time, and energy to make it happen, and he certainly did that.”

“I remember Rob being a very hardworking player,” McCaffrey added. “I remember Rob as a young kid, when he was in elementary school and I went and spoke at one of the camps. Rob was a very nice, respectful young man who was really into baseball and worked very hard. It's a credit to his hard work that he's able to get drafted professionally.”

Chamra will move out to Utah later this week to play ball with the Ogden Raptors, a minor league affiliate of the Los Angles Dodgers. He offers one piece of advice to aspiring Cranford athletes who believe they have what it takes: never give up.

“You can't give up,” he said. “You've got to keep going, keep trying, keep doing your best, and try hardest at everything you do. I wasn't a big time high school ball player and didn't go to a big college right out of high school; I transferred. But I didn't give up and kept working hard and followed my dreams. If you have a dream you're not just going to put stuff aside. You'll keep going for it.”