MT. VERNON — According to numerous, easily-found sources, the word “perseverance” simply means steady persistence in a course of action, especially in spite of obstacles and difficulties.

Former Mt. Vernon Township High School multi-sport athlete John Anderson has finally attained a long-awaited dream, to be a starting pitcher for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini baseball team.

Anderson earned four varsity letters in soccer, three in baseball and one in football before graduating MVTHS in 2006.

Anderson won his first collegiate start on Feb. 19, as the Illini notched a 7-3 win over Cincinnati as part of the Big East/Big Ten Challenge at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fla.

In the game, Anderson faced 16 hitters. He struck out four, while walking three, allowing two hits, with one earned run and one unearned run over five innings of work. He was pulled for a reliever after that, due to his pitch count, but he did retire the final eight batters he faced in the game.

The win was actually Anderson's second. His first came as a reliever in May 2009 over Big Ten Conference rival Ohio State.

Rams varsity baseball coach Tim Holloway first used the word perseverance when describing the value of Anderson's milestone.

“It's a big deal, that's for sure. His is a great story of perseverance,” Holloway said. “In high school, John had a live arm and pretty good stuff. He seems to have gotten better each year. His control, his movement are good and his velocity has kept going up.”

For Anderson, the need for persistence started early and hung around a while.

“He struggled at times in high school. He went up there (Champaign) and didn't make the team,” Holloway said. “He played club ball and came back to pitch quite a bit for them as a reliever. Now he's getting the opportunity to start at Illinois, which was a goal of his. He's shown a lot of determination and perseverance, as well as put in a lot of hard work.”

After graduation from MVTHS, Anderson made plans for the fall semester at the University of Illinois, with the hope of making the Illini football team as a walk-on.

“By the end of summer after my freshman year, I kind of knew that was over,” Anderson said. “I knew that I was going to have to move on to something else.”

But, due to the rules on age limits, Anderson had played a final summer of baseball with Mt. Vernon American Legion Post 141 in the summer of 2009.

“I had thrown well that summer. I felt like I was throwing harder,” Anderson said. “And I knew that there would be an open tryout for the (Illini) baseball team in the fall.”

Although Anderson said he thought that he threw well in the tryout, he didn't get called back.

But that's when he caught a break. The president of the Illini club baseball team spoke to the attendees, telling them that if they didn't make the team, there were still other options.

Like club baseball in the summer.

“It turned out that was a great deal. I met a lot of good guys and got to play some good quality baseball,” Anderson said. “And I got to improve myself as a pitcher in the course of doing that.”

After the end of the club season, Anderson was there for another fall tryout with the Illini and this time, he did get called back.

“I was getting a chance to work out in the fall with the team and see how it worked out,” Anderson said. “I was told that if I could pitch effectively that I would be on the team.”

There was a slight hesitation in Anderson’s voice when he was told what his former coach related about him.

“I guess that I kind of agree with what he said,” Anderson said. “I think that it shows that if you stick to something, really want to do something and you put in the effort to do it, then you can earn yourself that shot. If you have a dream of doing something, then you shouldn't give up the first time that someone says no, or even the second time.”

After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Political Science in May 2010, Anderson is now working on a master's degree in Library Information Science which he will complete in August.

As to what happens next, he's not sure.

“That's a good question,” said Anderson, when asked about a career choice. “I hope to find something in a museum-type setting, where I could use both degrees.”

The next opportunity for Anderson to take the hill was scheduled to be last Saturday, as the Illini hit the road to play a three-game set with Florida Gulf Coast University.

Holloway said that he appreciates seeing Anderson come to a Rams practice when he is in Mt. Vernon.

“He's come in and thrown and been around the kids,” Holloway said. “It's good for a guy like him to be around our kids so that they can see that if you put your mind to something, work hard and catch a break, dreams can come true. He's up there pitching for the University of Illinois, and we're all proud of him.”