Way To Go, Kiddo

Something pretty neat and inspiring happened in Waco, Texas last week. Kids showed adults how to act. It was during regional play for the Little League World Series, a game between Pearland, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Texas pitcher Kaiden “Bubs” Shelton (good nickname) threw a fastball that beaned Tulsa batter Isaiah “Zay” Jarvis. Zay dropped to the dirt and held his head. He was hurting. Scary. But he climbed to his feet and took the walk. 

When he got to the first base bag, Zay noticed that Bubs, the pitcher, was shaken up and in tears. So Zay walked over to the mound, gave Bubs a hug, and told him it was okay. He said to take a couple deep breaths and think happy thoughts. When do you ever see something like that happen, Flippy Johnson? Talk about sportsmanship and kindness. Watch this video. 

Politicians should watch it. Parents too. We’ve all been at youth sports games where wackball parents are yelling at each other and getting into fistfights. For some people, it’s not about kids playing it’s about parents winning, ain’t it?

Pearland won the ballgame and will be moving on in the Little League World Series. And Zay in the crowd, flown up as a Little League guest. “That kid, he was something different,” said Bubs. You got that right, kid. Keep your dukes up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCjbMdY8dZE

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