An Unexpected Romance Ch. 154-165 - Final

James paused to glance at his son, David, and found he was smiling, nodding, and enjoying the story.

"David was patient and waiting for the big fat pitch to get closer and closer. When the ball reached the perfect place, David swung and slapped the ball to the right field corner so fast, it hit the wall before the right fielder could move his feet. One runner scores. Another runner scores before the right fielder got to the ball. The score was tied, 6-6. When the right fielder picked up the ball, he found the cover of the ball had been nearly torn off! He couldn't believe his eyes!"

He paused as all his little grandchildren gasped in surprise. He chuckled.

"The cover had been torn off the ball?" cried his granddaughter Julie. Her eyes messing with his concentration.

"Yes, Julie, it was hanging on by three threads!" he replied. "By now, the third runner had scored and David was racing for third base, laughing along the way!"

David burst out laughing, along with his wife Connie. All of the adults and older grandchildren, who had heard this story told before, gut laughed, too.

"The right fielder paused, not knowing what to do. The center fielder was screaming at him to throw the ball to the infield! He gathered his composure and launched a strike to the cutoff man, but the ball was flopping around in the air because of the torn cover. The ball fell to the ground twenty feet in front of the cutoff man. By the time the cutoff man ran and picked up the ball, David was racing for home plate!"

James paused again to view the tiny faces all around him. Their eyes were wide as saucers in anticipation of his story.

"The cutoff man launched the ball with all his might to the catcher, but the ball wouldn't fly. Again, the ball fell to the ground twenty feet in front of home plate. And... our Uncle David jogged the last few feet and touched home plate, smiling as wide as a six lane highway."

The adults in the room were laughing so hard they couldn't catch their breath.

Five year old, James, got up from the floor and went to his grandpa. "Who won the game, Grandpa?"

"The Tigers won that game, James, and the World Championship, 8-6. And, the catcher gave the broken baseball to David as a memento. You see, it is a rare day when a man can hit the cover from a baseball. It is even a rarer day, when that man wins the World Series with such a hit," James asserted, while looking at his son, David. "Your Uncle David gave me the ball for safe keeping. Do you want to see it?"

"YEAH!" was the consensus reply.

James reached to the lamp table next to his chair and held up, for everyone to see, the broken baseball inside a clear plastic cube, the cover still hanging on by three threads.

"Can I hold it?" cried Penelope.

"Yes, Penelope, but you must let everyone have a chance to hold it, too. You see, this is the rarest of baseballs," Grandpa replied.

Angela was smiling and giggling over the embellishment her husband gave to a true story.

"Dad," David began, as he approached his father. "Thank you for being my father. I love you."

He knelt at his father's feet and hugged him.

Chapter 165 The Last Chapter

"Today. We lay to rest a legend in his own time. James Samuel Young," David announced at the graveside service.

A crowd estimated at 5000, some say 10,000, was gathered in the cemetery near where generations of Young men and women had been buried. So many people were expected, loudspeakers and microphones were used so all could hear the words of his son.

The governor was in attendance, along with the President of the United States, also a Texan. Owners from every major league team and the commissioner were present. Sports writers from all across America came to cover the funeral services. George County had become the birthplace of major league baseball players. Beginning with the greatest of them all... James Young.

"A legend in major league baseball," David continued. "And more importantly. A legend within his family. A man who feared he would not have a family. Until he met a pretty woman on the side of the road who had a flat tire. He stopped to help her and her friends to change the tire. And, on that day, a romance began that would not end for 63 years. To speak to my mother, the romance continues, she told me. She will love his memory in her heart. She will see him in her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren."

He paused to gather his thoughts and courage.

"He told me, when I was preparing to leave home for professional baseball, to play the game with passion. To make the team first. If I were to play baseball with all my might and think of the team first, success in my personal career would come with little effort. And through those experiences, I would return to my family and succeed with my wife and children. Making them first and loving them with passion."

He paused again to choke down a sob or two, reflecting on the life of his 99 year old father.

"James Young left baseball before he intended, due to injuries he received in a car wreck. I dare to wonder the records, that would have been, had he been able to continue his career. His existing records, to this day, have yet to be broken. Imagine the records that could have been had he been able to play another 5 to 7 years, or more."

He paused to let everyone to consider his words.

"My mother told me about a conversation she had with my father when he was elected to the baseball hall of fame. He told her he was heartbroken when his baseball career ended before he wanted it to end. But, he also told her, had he not been in the car wreck, he would have continued his baseball career and he would not have come back to Texas and find her on the side of the road. Had he stayed in Kansas City, another person would have stopped to help her."

He paused to gather his thoughts.

"He told her right then. The happiest he had ever been since leaving his childhood home for a career in baseball, were the ones he had spent with her. That he was grateful for finding her with a flat tire."

He paused to look around the crowd that had gathered. Many were in tears.

"My father was known by many nicknames when he played baseball. The Thief, for stealing so many bases. The Texas Hurricane, for destroying opposing teams with his ferocious hitting, error free fielding and throwing, and base stealing. The Free Pass, for the intentional walks he received, for fear he would hit the ball each time he stepped into the batter's box. There was an occasion, I'm told, when he stole 8 bases in one game, the opposing manager ran onto the field after the game to prevent him from leaving the field. He told my father he had already called the police for stealing those bases and to wait right there. He was pressing charges."

The crowd broke out in laughter through their sobs and weeping.

"I would like to end my baseball comments with one last set of facts. James Young has set another baseball record... His last one. You see, he had sons, grandsons, and now a great grandson to also play major league baseball. Three sons, 16 grandsons, and 1 great grandson, have now played for major league teams. To date, no other former player has had this many descendants to also play the game at the highest level. And, I predict, that record will continue to grow. I might add, my cousin, Michael Young, my father's nephew, also became a major league baseball pitcher, and he had two sons who also became major league players. Michael told me, on many occasions, my father was directly responsible for his successful career. If not for my father, Michael would have been a rancher like his father. George County, Texas is now famous as the birthplace for major league baseball players. Because of James Young."

He paused to gather courage for his next words.

"My memories of my father do not involve baseball. It involves him loving my mother, me, and my brothers and sisters. I will never forget how happy we were in his presence. The joy in my mother's face when he entered the room. And, the adoration he gave her in return. I recall the many sunrise and sunset horseback rides with my father. The branding of calves together. Rounding up cattle for sale at auction. The family campouts under the live oaks on our ranch. All with my brothers and sisters enjoying the same experiences I have enjoyed in the presence of our father. And many times, my mother was there, too. Our father gave us the best family. An example for me to match with my own family."

David took a few moments to swallow the overwhelming sorrow he felt.

"I break down, every time, when I reflect, my father feared he would never have a family."

He paused to measure his words and to choke down a sob.

"And, I rejoice when he stopped on the side of the road, to help a pretty girl change a flat tire. I love you, Dad. I love you, Mama."

The End