Students file into the Lincoln Hall Theater on a Wednesday morning in April just before the start of a World Religions lecture. Most walk in with tired expressions on their faces – LB, showing almost as much emotion as the portraits that blankly stare out into the great hall.

There are a few weeks left in the spring semester at the University, and some students are counting down the days until classes are done.

But for one of the 397 students, the end of the semester holds a different meaning. Toward the right side of the theater sits 26-year-old Josh Parr, who intently listens as the professor gives final reminders. The student fiddles with his pen in his right hand. He wears a blue jacket with a block I over his heart that reads “Baseball” across it, underneath is written, “2011 Big Ten Champions.”

“The dream may quit on you, but don’t you quit on the dream.”

Cam Parr taught his three sons to respect and work hard at the game of baseball at an early age. A former college baseball player at Huntington College, he knew the importance of instilling those values when they were just starting to learn the game.

Cam would take Josh and his twin younger brothers, Jordan and Justin, out to the fields of Chillicothe, Illinois, to work on baseball fundamentals. Cam dragged his daughter, Jessica, along to shag balls and run the bases. Sometimes when the exercises got too repetitive, Cam took his four kids to get ice cream.

The father coached his sons through their baseball careers all the way to high school. Josh paved the way for the twins — all three played at Illinois Valley Central High School before becoming Illini.

He played at his dream school for three years before the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball Draft in June 2011.

Josh’s first stop was with the Missoula Osprey in Montana, where he hit a home run in his second game, batted .288 and led the league in steals halfway through the year.LB

All was well until he took a fastball to the face in a game, broke his cheekbone in four places and missed most of the remainder of the season.

He didn’t fare well at 2012 spring training and was sent to the South Bend Silver Hawks, the Diamondbacks Single-A team in Indiana. There he struggled and was consequently sent to the Yakima Bears in Hillsboro, Oregon, a short-season Single-A team.

Josh dealt with apprehension: He was flinching at the plate and doubted he could play baseball anymore. Sitting in a hotel room during a road trip with the Silver Hawks, he made a dismayed phone call to his father. The shortstop was demoted to the Bears two days later and called his father again, this time questioning his baseball future.

Cam listened to his son’s doubt and when he was finished, provided Josh with the wisdom that only a father can provide.

“When things aren’t going in that moment, it’s easy to think that maybe you should think about doing something else,” Cam said. “You have to live where you’re at … You have to wake up everyday and fight like this is all you’re ever going to do.”

Josh retuned to Hillsboro in 2013 with a new batting stance. With a newly implemented stance and big lead step, he hit the ball well and seemed like he would finally get promoted above Single-A.

Then, just as quickly, his opportunity vanished — he pulled his hamstring running the bases and missed a month-and-a-half.

Another spring training passed, and Josh returned to South Bend in 2014 and barely played. He anticipated promotion — he thought he was being rested for his jump to Double-A — when the farm director came to town. But when Josh walked into the office and saw a group of men surrounding a chair in the middle of the room, he knew it was the end. He rejected the organization’s offer to finish the season with the Osprey and retired on the spot.

Josh was done with his dream.

“It was just what we did.”

Jordan Parr enjoyed playing with his brothers but never felt like they were competing against each other.

Josh had always set the example for the twins: He played legion ball, then Peoria-area baseball before playing one year of summer travel ball. He was named to the Class A All-State teams during his junior and senior years in high school and was the No. 34 prospect in Illinois.

Josh received offers from Arkansas and LSU but didn’t want to go far from home. Illinois was a family favorite, and at the end, the decision was easy.

Jordan and Justin followed the same path, but their road was different.

Jordan went to Illinois State as a recruited walk-on, but during the summer before college, he tore his left labrum playing basketball and had surgery. He played summer ball and transferred to Parkland Community College in Champaign before joining Illinois in 2012. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in 2012 and the Diamondbacks did the same in 2013. He took Arizona’s offer.

Justin went to Parkland for a year after graduating from high school and joined Josh at Illinois in 2011. He played there until 2013 when the Philadelphia Phillies drafted him.

Although Josh and Jordan never played together at Illinois, the two crossed paths far from home — in Oregon. Josh was recovering from his injury and Jordan was trying to make a good first impression. The two spent the summer together in an apartment.

Jordan gained respect for his brother because of the way Josh dealt with the difficult situation. Josh had a strong relationship with his Christian faith and despite the bumpy road, made it seem like he would be all right.

“He was trying to do the best he could,” Jordan said. “I’ve never seen someone demonstrate such faith during such a difficult time.”

Jordan was released this past spring training, and Justin was released after playing in the minors in 2013 and 2014. He finished his agri-business degree at Illinois in the fall and now works in Chicago for a sales company. Jordan will return to campus in the fall to finish his communications degree — the degree Josh is pursuing right now.

All three brothers played the sport they loved, but all accepted they weren’t good enough to play in the major leagues.

“It strengthened us as individuals.”

Julie Parr knew what her husband needed to do when his minor league career ended. She knew Josh had lived his dream and needed to come back to reality.

The former Illinois soccer player had been with him since the two started dating their sophomore year of college.

Josh had a good freshman season but made mistakes along the way. He suffered through a sophomore slump during which head coach Dan Hartleb said he couldn’t have a shortstop making so many errors. Josh played summer-league baseball without any pressure. He did well there and responded with a strong junior season, which earned the attention of scouts.

Julie was there with her then-boyfriend when he was drafted. Josh’s reaction was an anticlimactic “oh” when the pick finally appeared on the computer screen. The Diamondbacks scout called him and Josh accepted the offer on a Tuesday, and flew to Arizona two days later.

Although Josh didn’t want to address it at the time, both Josh’s mother and Julie agreed that he would come back to finish his degree.

The lifestyle of a minor-league baseball player isn’t luxurious. Josh made just enough to pay for rent. He saved the money he received on road trips for meals and instead bought three loaves of bread and a jar of peanut butter to stretch out his money.

Josh and Julie married in December 2012. When he struggled to keep his confidence high, she listened and provided advice, knowing what it was like to have professional sports dreams.

She played for the Chicago Red Stars during the summer of 2011, before her senior year, and traveled to Tanzania in 2012 instead of returning to the Red Stars. After living with Josh during his time in Oregon, she joined the Charlotte Lady Eagles in 2014 and Josh joined her in Charlotte when he was released by the Diamondbacks. There they came to the conclusion that Josh would take summer school classes and return to Illinois to finish his degree.

“He’s ready to go with what he knows is next,” Julie said. “We’re glad he’s been able to put in this year and finish up and show the value of the education he got.”

The two are now back in Champaign having finished their professional careers. Julie served the past soccer season as a part-time strength and conditioning coach for the Illini and her role with next season’s team is not yet clear.

“I had a blast, I have no regrets.”

The students disperse from the theater once the guest lecturer finishes. Josh packs up his things and heads toward the bustling, sun-soaked main quad.

He enters the Illini Union where a future co-worker meets him at the Courtyard Café. After graduation, Parr will work for The Navigators, a campus ministry group.

He’s wearing his 2011 Big Ten championship jacket, now just a mere symbol of who he used to be. He is no longer that coveted baseball player.

He is just a student, waiting to see where his journey will take him next.

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