A True Story
Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:32 am
Subj: Shay Plays Baseball (S478)
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning
disabled children, the father of one of the students
delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who
attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff,
he offered a question:
"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything
nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot
learn things as other children do. He cannot understand
things as other children do. Where is the natural order of
things in my son?"
The audience was stilled by the query.
The father continued. "I believe, that when a child like Shay,
physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an
opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and
it comes, in the way other people treat that child"
Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys
Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think
they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the
boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the
father also understood that if his son were allowed to play,
it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some
confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked
if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around
for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game
is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and
we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench, put on a team shirt
with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye
and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his
son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's
team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.
In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played
in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was
obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field,
grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the
stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored
again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential
winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance
to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone
knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even
know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing
the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's
life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could
at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay
swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps
forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came
in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back
to the pitcher.
The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft
grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first
baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the
end of the game.
Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the
first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from
the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first!
Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but
made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-
eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming
and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay
rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the
smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for
his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to
the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's
intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far
over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base
deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward
home. As Shay neared third base, the opposing shortstop ran to
help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and
shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third ! "
All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those
watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home!"
Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the
hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.
That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down
his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true
love and humanity into this world.
Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter,
having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so
happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace
her little hero of the day!
May your day, be a Shay Day, sunny today tomorrow & always!
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning
disabled children, the father of one of the students
delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who
attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff,
he offered a question:
"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything
nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot
learn things as other children do. He cannot understand
things as other children do. Where is the natural order of
things in my son?"
The audience was stilled by the query.
The father continued. "I believe, that when a child like Shay,
physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an
opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and
it comes, in the way other people treat that child"
Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys
Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think
they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the
boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the
father also understood that if his son were allowed to play,
it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some
confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked
if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around
for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game
is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and
we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench, put on a team shirt
with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye
and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his
son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's
team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.
In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played
in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was
obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field,
grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the
stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored
again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential
winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance
to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone
knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even
know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing
the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's
life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could
at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay
swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps
forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came
in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back
to the pitcher.
The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft
grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first
baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the
end of the game.
Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the
first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from
the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first!
Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but
made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-
eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming
and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay
rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the
smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for
his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to
the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's
intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far
over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base
deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward
home. As Shay neared third base, the opposing shortstop ran to
help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and
shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third ! "
All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those
watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home!"
Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the
hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.
That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down
his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true
love and humanity into this world.
Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter,
having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so
happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace
her little hero of the day!
May your day, be a Shay Day, sunny today tomorrow & always!
