It's Fall and that is a very important time for Major League Baseball. It's the time that America's Pastime takes center stage with the occurrence of the spectacle known as the World Series. The San Francisco Giants and the darlings of baseball, the Kansas City Royals, have played a wonderful series that has resulted in a winner-take-all game seven. It's the best that baseball gets.
Unfortunately there has been a more somber headline dealing with baseball this Fall, the tragic death of St. Louis Cardinal outfielder Oscar Taveras. In Taveras, the Cardinals lost a 22-year-old corner outfielder who was pegged to bat in the middle of their order for the next decade or so. They lost one of the games brightest futures, and potentially a perennial All-Star. They traded away former All-Star Allen Craig to the Boston Red Sox to make a permanent spot for Taveras. Most importantly though, the Cardinals and Major League Baseball lost a teammate, an associate and a friend.
In the buzz and commotion of the sports world, sometimes the "pureness" of sports is lost. We think so much of the money associated with sports or the conflict on the field then what the game means. However when we see tragedies the mindset seems to change. Think back past Taveras to any other premature or tragic death of an athlete. Whether it's Nick Adenhart getting hit by a drunk driver, relief pitchers Darryl Kile or Josh Hancock, or shooting guard Drazen Petrovic death can quickly put in perspective what really matters. Death can be a reminder that when all is said and done professional sports are just a game.
Death isn't the only tragic issue that can have an effect on sport. Take a look at Jim Kelly, the Hall of Fame quarterback who played for the Buffalo Bills. in 2013 Kelly was diagnosed with cancer in his jaw. Probably the most famous Bill, the though of losing the man who led the team to four consecutive Super Bowls galvanized not only a single fan base, but the entire NFL to support this living legend. There wasn't a sports show that didn't update the status of Kelly until he was pronounce cancer free. It is my opinion that feeling of family that many fans felt supporting not only Kelly, but the death of long-time owner Ralph Wilson ensured that the Bills would always circle the wagon in Buffalo.
So why does tragedy bond players, coaches and teams together? Is it because as a group they all overcome something together? A great example of that is what the Saints meant to New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. I think the biggest thing, is it gives everyone a perspective that we all know, but tend to forget. The perspective that life is above all the most precious thing on the planet.
I'd like to back my point up with the story of a young man that played football at a rival high school. The team was fairly mediocre, they had never been champions and usually had season that ended up in .500 records and missing the playoffs. Every once in a blue moon however they put a team on the field that gave the community hope. A team that had made the playoffs the year before returned most of their starters including a running back and fullback who anchor the teams triple option offense. However before the season began the starting fullback was diagnosed with cancer. It was a overwhelming shock to the begin of the season and a significant loss to an important part of the offense. The team played with heavy hearts, as could be expected, and made it into the playoffs. It's then the fullback returned to the team, not as a player but as the missing motivation the team needed. To see their teammate back in the locker room he belonged in gave the team an added measure of fire as they made a great run through the tournament and were able to bring home the State Championship to a community in need of some good news.
At the end of the day sports dominate the media and minds of those who follower sports for the wrong reason, but every once and awhile tragedy calls us all to remember what is most important and why we fell in love with the game in the first place. Just like Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura showed in game six of the World Series when he paid tribute by tipping his cap to his lost friend Oscar Taveras.
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