Baseball in Heaven

My grandfather and I had a special relationship. When I was born we lived near his home in Baltimore, but, my family moved away when I was five and we lived most of my life in another state far away from my grandfather. Whenever he called, however, I was the one grandchild he always wanted to talk to so we could discuss our beloved Baltimore Orioles. I was the one grandchild who followed sports closely and always remained a true Baltimore sports fan.

As I grew older, I learned that my grandfather was actually a gifted baseball player himself when he was a young man. In those days, he would explain to me, professional baseball players did not make enough money to support a family so he had to make up his mind to either play baseball or get married and raise a family. As it turned out, his love for baseball was only surpassed by his love for my grandmother and, although he hung on to the newspaper clippings that labeled him a “can’t miss professional baseball prospect”, he hung up his cleats and glove, married my grandmother and went out to find a “real” job.

But, his love for the game survived and year in and year out, he and I discussed the intricacies of the game and enjoyed or lamented each baseball season based on the successes and/or failures of the Baltimore Orioles. Until recently, the Orioles had fallen on hard times, but in my younger years I was fortunate enough to experience and share many more successful seasons than poor ones during the limited time that I shared life with this amazing man.

I always felt sorry for my grandfather, considering him a victim of poor timing. Had he been born about 50 years later in life, he would not have had to choose between being a baseball player or earning a living – in fact, with his talent, he could have earned a much better than average living while enjoying the one thing he loved most in life.

When my grandfather passed away, I was sure that he was joining a heavenly nine to once again strap on his spikes and don the leather. Without a doubt, they must play baseball in heaven. And I wait for the day that I sit in the heavenly bleachers and cheer on a young grandfather playing this wonderful game with other boys of summer.