“Don’t
be absorbed only in your life, but care for the lives of others too." ~ Philippians
2:4
It was a perfect day for baseball:
temperature in the low-to-mid-80s, only a light breeze, the sky cloudless. The crowd arrived late, but by game time attendance
grew to nearly 20,000; respectable for a midweek, afternoon game.
The Angels led 2-0 into the bottom of the 9th
inning. The Sox’ Alvarez had singled
with two away when Weis poked a sweeping curve ball into right field. Jackson,
batting cleanup, stepped to the plate, knocked some loose dirt from his cleats
and readjusted his batting gloves. The
first two pitches were high and outside; sucker pitches really. Jackson waited patiently for his pitch.
It came with the third toss – fastball at the knees. He smashed a soaring drive that sailed with
the wind towards the Red Sox bullpen.
Williams, the Centerfielder shading slightly toward right
field, sprinted toward a ball no human had any business putting a glove
to. He ranged to his left, searching,
digging in, and pouring on the speed as the hometown crowd cheered what was
sure to be a bases-clearing home run.
Reaching the low barrier in front of the bullpen, Williams leaped
high at the fence as if using an invisible rope. He jumped so high in fact, that his ankle
cracked the top of the five-foot barrier.
At the last possible moment, he stretched out his arm as the ball
touched his glove. Momentum carried him
over the fence and into the bullpen.
Nobody knew at first if Williams had caught the ball or
not. But in the next instant, he popped
up from the behind the fence and victoriously held the ball aloft. The crown went deathly silent as the umpire
signaled out number three. Game over!
Two things happened next.
In a time-honored tradition, a furious Red Sox Manager raced onto the
field to protest the call. He argued vehemently
that it should have been ruled a home run - the ball had been caught outside
the field of play, in home run territory.
The Ump didn’t see it that way.
The Manager was ejected.
But the real story occurred while the two ‘adults’ shared spittle
at home plate. Williams returned to the
field, having made what was arguably the most incredible catch in the history
of baseball. Most Big Leaguers would have
kept the ball for their own trophy case – maybe even sign it and offer it to
the Hall of Fame.
But not Williams.
He turned and searched the crowd. Unselfishly, he tossed the now-famous baseball
to a fully dressed Marine in the stands.
Surprisingly, no one else went for the ball; instead they gave the
Marine a standing ovation. Hero to hero;
well deserved.
Gracious Lord, 98% of us woke today enjoying our
freedom; 2% defended it. Hold our troops
in Your loving arms. Protect them as
they protect us. Bless them and their
families for their unselfish courage and generosity. Amen
