Hero's come in all shapes and sizes. Dreams are things we go after with all our heart despite our mistakes. I give you two individuals from different worlds but on the field at Fenway they both made smiles come to your faces. Clay Buchholz, brought up to pitch today's day game, knowing he'd be sent back immediately after the game. A Lumberton, Texas boy who has dreamed of this day all his life...and so has his father. Then there's Jordan Leandre of South Dennis, Massachusetts who is a cancer survivor. He sang the National Anthem in 2005 when he was 4 yrs old and near immobile while stricken with the disease. Today while on the field during pre-game festivities, he did something spontaneous....he turned away from the '67 players...and ran around the bases...something like most kids in the New England area dream about doing....but this dream was far more. Jordan ran without help from a walker or anyone. He has beaten cancer and watching him run around the bases made me smile....and tear up. Clay has had his own demons.....the same year Jordan was fighting cancer, Clay was fighting his own battle of deception. For some unknown reason to us, Clay became involved in an incident of stealing laptops from his high school while he was attending junior college. He had been drafted by the Red Sox and apparently they were satisfied with their own investigations. Clay didn't deny his involvement...owned up to it and is moving on. Mistakes we make them but we can correct them. Clay is fortunate to have parents who emotionally supported him through this troubled time...and more fortunate to have them as helping him throughout his life practicing baseball to be where he is today. Mistakes we can correct them but we can't fix cancer as easy. Jordan was treated at the Dana-Farber Cancer Center in Boston...and today the Jimmy Fund raised millions of dollars to help in the treatment of those who have cancer.
Clay won his first MLB game today...6 innings, 5 K's, walked 3, allowed 3 runs. He won and his parents and siblings from Texas were there to watch. Jordan won today too...he beat cancer and his parents were there as well....watching him run around bases at Fenway. I don't know about you but I'd wager that Mr and Mrs Leadre were smiling wider.
3 comments:
Tex, I had no idea about Bucholtz and the computers: nice job.
I didn't get to see the game, but on the highlights he doesn't look old enough to vote.
Well, we split the double header, which is about all you can ask for: however, losing it in the 9th is tough to take. Gagne is starting to remind me of Kyle Farnsworth: not good.
And I'm glad Ang and the kids were gone when that little boy ran the bases: Curse the Red Sox for making me cry.
yah I had read about the incident with Buchholz a couple of places...not sure what they did with it all concerning the law...probably gave him deferred prosecution which allows no permanent record. I wish Clay the very best...sometimes we do dumb things that can affect the rest of our lives...its nice to know that some kids overcome it
'Morning, Tex! Glad to see you put things in perspective today. In the great scheme of things, Jordan and Clay ARE truly the big winners.
AND, I happen to be in the camp that says Gagne will too. Merely a bump (or by now a small hill) in the road. We.Shall.Overcome!
Go Sox!
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