Great stories. I have loved reading every one of them.
My son was blessed to play for one of the best high school teams in the country. It was ranked as high as 5th in the nation by USA today.
At the end of May his team was 37-3 and had advanced to regional finals -- the last stepping stone to the state tourney.
In the final 3-game series, his team won the first game 9-1 and felt confident going into Game 2. In Game 2, they were ahead 4-2 in the top of the 7th with just 1 out needed to win, but their closer -- who had pitched a CG in Game 1 -- gave up 3 hits and they lost. In Game 3, they were tied at 4 in the 7th. With 2 outs and runners on first and third, their opponent hit a high fly, which the back-up outfielder missed. Game/series/season over.
Early in the season my son had struggled at the plate, so much so that his coach benched him a couple of times. But as the season wore on his bat got stronger and stronger. In the final series, he had 6 RBI and stellar defense, but the look on his face showed that he would have gladly traded his personal success for a team victory.
As he sat dejected in the dugout his normally-stoic coach sat beside him and held him for a while. Then my son got up and looked into the stands. He saw my husband, walked up to him, and collapsed not once, but twice into his arms in tears. All the pent-up emotion came pouring out, and he was pretty much inconsolable for half an hour.
A sad ending? Not really. Looking back, it was an unbelievable ride. And to see my son seek comfort in his dad's arms is a poignant memory I'll cherish forever.