Baseball Blessings

Just about everyone who goes to a Major League Baseball game wants to catch or have a player or ball person toss them a baseball.

It was the bottom of the fourth inning between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, and the score was 0-0. Astro Yordan Alvarez was up and hit the baseball for what looked like a sure homerun off of pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. That’s when Brandon Nimmo, Texas Rangers right fielder, leapt up at the wall and caught the ball for an out. Ronald Branch, an Astros fan and tour guide, was sitting on the first row in right field. Even though the ball was coming right at him, Branch knew not to lean over the wall to try to catch it and interfere with the play. Nimmo realized what the fan had done. In a later inning, Nimmo handed two signed baseballs to Branch on which he had written, “Thanks 4 Letting Me Go After It!” Branch posted, “Loyal Astros fan always…but also loyal to the game itself. Besides, when Yordan sends one into orbit, you just sit back, admire the moonshot, and let the outfielder make the business decision.”

 

Jameson Pennings, 9-years-old, dreams of catching or being tossed a foul ball. His parents bought tickets for the Philadelphia Phillies home game against the New York Mets. The seats were along the third base line, where Jameson had a chance to catch the ball or for the ball retriever to toss him a foul ball. During the fifth inning, Jameson’s wish came true as he was tossed a ball. He showed his dad the ball and asked, “Is that where the bat hit it?” His parents were so excited for him and knew he would treasure the baseball for a long time. A few innings later, they were shocked when their son gave the ball to Donna Morey. Earlier in the game, Jameson heard Donna’s daughter mention to the ball girl that it was her mother’s 80th birthday. Jameson told Steve Hartman, “I thought, she is way older, and she can’t come to many more games, and I can go to more, and get many more balls.” When Hartman questioned him about having a ball and then going home with nothing, Jameson said, “I am so glad she took it, because I’m actually happier without it. I will leave feeling really good about myself. So does it matter that I left without a ball?” Jameson also bought and gave Mrs. Morey an acrylic box to display her baseball.

 

May we, too, be intentional in looking out for the interests of others.

 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:3-4