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 (401)
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Post Cosplay Life: 6 Months Later
Greetings, Vocal readers. I've been extremely busy for the last six months and having a positive outlook on life. I'll keep everyone up to speed on what I've been up to. In October 2024, I retired from cosplay after 10 wonderful years doing this amazing craft. I enjoyed attending conventions, hanging out with my friends, and meeting new people. Don't get me wrong. I loved doing cosplay and I'll always remember the good times I've had doing it. While I'll forever be tied to the cosplay community, I felt like 10 years was enough and wanted to explore new interests. This isn't a new interest, but I wanted to focus more on my writing, which I'm doing right now. I work a regular job and write stories on Vocal on the side. Did I regret walking away from cosplay for good? The answer is no. Once again, I loved doing cosplay and meeting people at cons. I'm also fortunate to have met other cosplayers online and got along with many of them. I still follow some of those cosplayers today and respect them. I'll have a link down below on what my final con appearance was like, plus a letter to my fellow cosplayers.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 10 months ago in Geeks
Are the Los Angeles Dodgers Ruining Baseball?
If you've been following my numerous stories about the Los Angeles Dodgers during the offseason, then you know that I've been their biggest critic. The 2025 MLB season has finally arrived, but a new wave of criticism hovers over the defending World Series Champions. In a recent article, one of the Dodgers' acquisitions had a response to the accusations and criticisms that the team is "ruining baseball." Kirby Yates, the relief pitcher who was traded from the Texas Rangers to the Dodgers during the offseason, had a blunt response to the online criticism by saying that the team didn't care about it, and he added that "haters are going to hate." He doesn't seem to understand or comprehend why this team has been receiving continuous backlash. And the "haters are going to hate" line is a bit dismissive and Kirby Yates is being a bit delusional.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 10 months ago in Unbalanced
This Guy Loves Opening Day
The 2025 MLB season is finally underway! Yes! I love this time of year and gets me so hyped up. If you're a die-hard fan of whatever team you root for, you know how much of a big deal this day is. You must be thinking, "What the hell is he talking about?" Opening Day is like the first day of school for us baseball fans. It usually means that the regular season has begun, which starts on the last Thursday in March. Many fans would take a day off from school or work to watch their favorite team play, either in person or on TV. If you're going to play hooky to watch your favorite team, I won't blame you. How can you not be romantic about baseball? If this is your first time taking part in this exciting tradition, I have some tips on what to wear, which I'll discuss in a bit. But first, here's a bit of history about the first Opening Day.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Pride
Baseball Is for Everyone: Part 2
Back in January, I wrote a story about baseball being everyone's sport. In other words, America's pastime should be enjoyed by all fans, not just for a select few. My previous story on this topic was one of the Top Stories for that month, which I was very honored. I discussed the origins of Pride Night not only in Major League Baseball, but in other sports leagues. On top of that, I went in on those who were highly opposed to these events. I'll have a link to the original story down below. In this story, I'll be talking about online baseball communities and baseball content creators.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Pride
Best Texas Rangers Players Over The Last 25 Years
Greetings, Vocal readers and Rangers fans! In one of my last stories, I wrote about my personal favorite World Series teams since the year 2000. I'll have a link to that story at the end of this story. However in this story, I'll be featuring a list of some of my favorite Texas Rangers players who played between the years 2000-2024. Since 1972, the Texas Rangers have a spectacular history of having some of the best players in their organization. Sure, they had their share of ups and downs, but they're a team who's destined for excellence. In 2023, they won their first World Series title, and they're destined to win more of them down the road. I've been a Rangers fan for almost 25 years, and I can say that this is the best fanbase in the AL West and also, in the American League.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Unbalanced
The Blatant Disrespect of a Baseball Legend
Just a fair warning that I'm going to go on a bit of a rant. Recently, I ran into a story online that I wanted to talk about. As a baseball fan, I couldn't let what I'm about to say go. It was about an article mentioning the late, great Jackie Robinson's time in the Army deleted from the Department of Defense's website. In case you're not up to speed about what's behind this, President Trump signed an executive order to purge DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs from the U.S. Government. This was one of his campaign promises. That means erasing any mention of Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ figures who came before us. When asked for the reason behind this move, Pentagon press secretary John Ullyot stated it was done to stop what he called "Woke cultural Marxism." The Pentagon claimed that everyone at the Defense Department respected Jackie Robinson, which I didn't buy one bit. If they truly respected him, the article about him serving in the Army wouldn't have been deleted. This was 100% a racially motivated move on their part.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in The Swamp
I Can Be Both
Greetings, Vocal readers. It's been a while since I've written a story. The following story may ruffle a few feathers and raise a few eyebrows. However, I want everyone to hear me out for a few minutes. Religion is a taboo and touchy subject for most people. Growing up in Texas, I attended church with my family almost every Sunday. When I left home for college years later, I attended a local church, and I loved the people there. Just to remind everyone that this was around 2010: two years before officially coming out as a gay man. At the time, I was still hiding my true self from everyone. When I finally came out in 2012, I repeatedly asked myself this question to myself: "Now that I've come out as gay, will God love me as I am?" Even after I stopped going to that church and then I moved to a new area after I graduated from college, I was still seeking a church that was gay friendly. In the spring of 2013, I found a church in my area that wasn't far from where I was living at the time...or so I thought. I attended that church for a month before leaving it for good. The reason? They were regurgitating anti-gay rhetoric. It broke my heart that people always assume the worst about us when they don't even know us personally. Christians would tell everyone to love one another but would waste no time degrading and dehumanizing gay people at every opportunity. Some, not all, Christians are walking hypocrites. I wouldn't say that I was an Atheist, per se, but I want to be able to accept myself and believe in God at the same time.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Pride
FanGraphs' MLB Predictions for 2025
Greetings, baseball nerds! The MLB regular season is fast approaching and you're curious about how well your favorite team will do this year. For this story, we'll be going over what teams FanGraphs have chosen to win each division and their chances of winning the World Series. Those are the two categories that will be the main focus throughout this story. Please note that these predictions and odds are subject to change and updated daily. These are posted as of this writing. I'll be comparing what FanGraphs have said versus what I've predicted in previous stories. Alright, let's get on with it.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Unbalanced
Wesley's Best Baseball Movies of All Time
If you've been reading my stories for a period of time on Vocal or are subscribed to me, you know that I love baseball. Not only that, but I love watching a good, heartfelt baseball movie. You don't see many of those kinds of movies these days. The 2025 MLB regular season is right around the corner and in this story, I'll be sharing three of my personal favorite baseball movies. These selections are in no specific order, but baseball documentaries will not be included on this list. Alright, let's play ball!
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Geeks
My Honest Thoughts About Pete Rose
I've avoided talking about a controversial baseball figure who is no longer with us for so long. Now, it's time that I'd finally talk about the late Pete Rose. I'll be sharing some of my brutally honest takes and the reasons why he's in the news six months after his September 2024 death, which I'll get into later.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Unbalanced
