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. All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way
Shay"
Shay reached 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" 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!
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