A very special baseball night in summer ball

Sounds like a wonderful night! That's why we signed our boys up for baseball, moments like this. Thanks for sharing it.

hokie - The smile on that little boy's face, the story behind the smile, and the smile on each player in the dugout left a lump in my throat as well

This picture truly captures why baseball players (and those involved in the game) are the special people that they are. Thanks for sharing and if you don't mind, I am going to bump this into the general forum as well for a little more visibility...

ps... which player is GED10's son?

Regardless of the score, I would say last night’s game was a huge win!

quote:

Originally posted by CanyonsMom:
Sounds like a wonderful night! That's why we signed our boys up for baseball, moments like this. Thanks for sharing it.

I second the above, thanks for sharing.

GunEmDown's son is the forehead and cap over the shoulder of the player on the right holding batting gloves-Billy Motroni, a shortstop from Presbyterian. Josh is right behind him. Some other photos show Josh, I'll see if I can add one of those.

Okay, here's a link: Josh is on the far right, looking cool in the shades.


http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/...4215_158485871_n.jpg

Great picture.Aweome.Thanks for sharing.

hokieone

For many years our major charity has involved finding a cure for pediatric cancer. The All American Classic in San Diego this year will once again donate all proceeds to the Children's Hospital.

For many of the young players, the most important thing they do is visit the patients at the Children's Hospital. They get to bring some smiles to the faces of many seriously ill kids. I think it is a real wake up call to all the players.

So often people talk about how bad the kids are these days. There will always be a few bad apples, but there are a lot of great young men out there that truly care about others. We see it every year just like that very special night.

Pray for young Trent and add all those other other young kids who are fighting for their life. That picture "hokieone" posted will provide a lifetime of memories. Baseball is not the most important thing, but sometimes it can help the more important things.

Here is a blog from last year's All American Classic. Read about the first overall pick of this year's draft and others who visited the hospital. I think it's a good example of just how much some of our young people care.

Jeff Dahn -- Friday, August 12, 2011 -- 9:26 PM PDT

Visit to children’s hospital brings smiles

Initially, the young wheelchair-bound patient was reluctant to smile. Truth be told, the youngster seemed frightened, even on the verge of tears.

Enter Perfect Game All-American Carlos Correa, a top shortstop prospect out of Puerto Rico who is all of 16-years-old himself, but shows a level of maturity far beyond those 16 years.

Correa spent the early part of Friday afternoon at the Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, along with the other 45 players and six coaches in town for Sunday’s Perfect Game All-American Classic presented by Rawlings. Proceeds from the Classic benefit Rady’s.

The players were given a tour of the hospital’s new cancer wing and were given the opportunity to meet and interact with several young patients at new outdoor patio area/playground.

One of the first youngsters brought out was a boy of about 5, in a wheelchair, who was accompanied by his mother. Neither mother nor son spoke English.

Correa approached the young patient, and using Spanish tried to engage him in conversation and provoke a smile. He wasn’t making much progress until a ball and bat appeared. The youngster was soon smacking balls tossed to him by Correa – New York City’s Nelson Rodriguez soon joined the party – and after a while, the kid’s eyes were bright and he was clearly smiling.

“I have always enjoyed being around little kids. I have a sister that is 2-years-old,” Correa said. “I love kids, man. I love to be with them and play with them, and if I can do something that makes them happy, I will do it.”

The stop at Rady’s has become a focal point of the All-American Classic, and as Perfect Game President Jerry Ford said at the event’s Welcome Dinner Thursday night: “First of all, this game is all about the players, but more importantly it’s about the cause. If you guys don’t know that already, you’ll figure it out over the next few days.”

They figured it out early Friday afternoon.

Right-hander/infielder Lance McCullers, the nation’s top-ranked prospect in 2012, was like all the other players in outwardly showing how much they enjoyed making this appearance.

McCullers has done a lot of community service work while attending Jesuit High School in Tampa, and took to the kids with an experienced flair. He played catch, threw pitches to youngsters with oversized inflated bats and even sat down at a table and did some painting with a young patient who was hooked up to numerous IVs.

“You don’t really realize how blessed you are and how fortunate you are until you come in and you see people in other situations,” McCullers said. “For me to be able to be out here with these little kids, painting with them, playing baseball with them, it adds a different feel to the trip.

“I almost feel like we’re here and we’re helping people, and then we’re playing the game for them and not for us.”

The smiles on the faces of the young patients were matched only by the smiles on the faces of the young prospects who will display their considerable talent in front of a national television audience on Sunday (5 p.m. PDT, CBS Sports Network).

They’ll never forget Friday’s visit to Rady’s.

“This is a great experience. Seeing those kids having fun and smiling, it’s amazing,” Correa said.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than when you’re playing with a kid and you say something and you see that smile – that million dollar smile,” McCullers added. “It’s a blessing to be out here in the first place and to be a Perfect Game All-American, but to be out here and help these kids is something totally different.”

sometimes, in baseball, you figure out that there are a lot of things much more important than baseball itself. looks like everyone at that stadium rediscovered that sentiment last night. thanks for the post!

wonderful event Hokie... definitely put trent on my prayer list... thanks for posting this (tremendous photo too)

Amazing picture. (And it is gift the wonderful things that baseball can provide) It is great for this little boy. I will be praying for him.

What a wonderful story and an amazing smile on Trent's face. That little boy will be in my prayers.

quote:

Originally posted by mstcks:
sometimes, in baseball, you figure out that there are a lot of things much more important than baseball itself. looks like everyone at that stadium rediscovered that sentiment last night. thanks for the post!

I am going to disagree a little bit with you on this one. Yes, there are more important things than baseball. But, on the other hand, baseball enriched that young man's life and proof of my assertion is in that photo.

I agree with jemaz 100% that baseball is a wonderful gift.

baseball, if only for a short time. can make everthing ok.


thoughts and prayers for Trent and his family. and everyone that fights this strange disease.

Hokie,

Great photo! It's quite easy to recognize that Your Team made Trent's day. Thanks for sharing, I wish the young man the Very Best in his fight with this dreaded disease.

24 hours after the photo, Trent was back at UVA hooked up and receiving morphine and whole blood. A picture on the Facebook page "Praying For Trent" of some friends snuggling Trent while he was receiving treatment has already had 1,495 "likes". The Page has 5074 "Friends".

This is just what we need to see and read and hear today, the goodness in humanity, the heartfelt 'kindness of strangers.'

Except I think in baseball like this, there are no strangers, right?

Prayers to Trent, prayers to Colorado.

These young men are fantastic. So cool to see the photos of some of the guys we have read about and 'talked to' here on HSBBW!

PS, Josh, love the shades. Those GTown girls are going to love seeing you on the bump next spring. Your girlfriend better watch out. (Just kidding, just kidding!)

quote:

Originally posted by BaseballmomandCEP:
This is just what we need to see and read and hear today, the goodness in humanity, the heartfelt 'kindness of strangers.'

Except I think in baseball like this, there are no strangers, right?

Prayers to Trent, prayers to Colorado.

These young men are fantastic. So cool to see the photos of some of the guys we have read about and 'talked to' here on HSBBW!

PS, Josh, love the shades. Those GTown girls are going to love seeing you on the bump next spring. Your girlfriend better watch out. (Just kidding, just kidding!)

Baseballmom - I think the Josh they are referring to here is GED10's son with the shades. Either way, I agree with your thoughts whole-heartedly! We'll assume that Josh's girlfriend does not visit the hsbbweb

God Bless Trent and may he get the chance to be the Bat Boy . Once again baseball excites in more than just on the field .

quote:

Baseballmom - I think the Josh they are referring to here is GED10's son with the shades. Either way, I agree with your thoughts whole-heartedly! We'll assume that Josh's girlfriend does not visit the hsbbweb

My bad - I misunderstood! They are a bunch of great looking guys, regardless. For some reason I thought JH was with this team ???

Its a heartwarming story.

Intersting that peds cancer really is the adopted cause for so many in baseball... Strike 3, the foundation started by Craig Breslow (from our town adn our HS, BTW) is another example.

JH was with us in early season but his arm wasn't coming around as much as he hoped and going to night classes at Georgetown was a huge academic load so he decided to play up in northern Virginia, closer to his classes, much closer to Georgetown's trainers, and eliminate the 70-80 mile drives to Strasburg.

We were fortunate enough to have him around for about a month...what a neat guy he is.

quote:

Originally posted by ClevelandDad:

quote:

Originally posted by mstcks:
sometimes, in baseball, you figure out that there are a lot of things much more important than baseball itself. looks like everyone at that stadium rediscovered that sentiment last night. thanks for the post!

I am going to disagree a little bit with you on this one. Yes, there are more important things than baseball. But, on the other hand, baseball enriched that young man's life and proof of my assertion is in that photo.

I agree with jemaz 100% that baseball is a wonderful gift.

I didn't convey what I meant very well. I agree baseball can be quite enriching, and allows an escape for many people, including young Trent. I think what I meant is that for players like myself (maybe even coaches, fans, parents), events like this can really put baseball in perspective. My 0-4 day at the plate or a team's loss or a pitcher giving up 3 HR's, all of these things pale in comparison to what this kid has fought through in his life so far.

Trent survived 9 days after his night in our dugout, going to meet our Lord late last night. He touched our players and fans, as well as those of the opposing team that night. The game and score will be forgotten, but not Trent. There are hundreds of Facebook posts on line as this brave little guy and his plight was known to the entire community, and in his last days, he said he was ready "to see God and get rid of this pain." His family and friends will continue to be embraced by a caring community, secure and comforted by the knowledge of him being exactly where he wanted to go.

hokieone - it started with your post, but I have been deeply moved by Trent's story. He touched my heart indeed. My deepest sympathies for Trent and his family

This is as sad as it gets, but it is wonderful Trent had the night in the dugout with your team and so many people praying for him. My thoughts are with the little boy's family.

This is so very sad. God bless Trent. My deepest sympathies to his family.

I agree with msticks, that things like this can leave an impact on everyone involved. I know that it has left an impact on my son over the years.

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Rest in peace Trent.

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RIP Trent God Bless the family,players and community.

RIP Trent.