Tragedy in the Family

Wow, I got back from Japan today (which hopefully explains the lack of posts, sorry) expecting to post about my experience at a Japanese baseball game, but that will have to wait after hearing of the death of Josh Hancock.

This is eerie. Too many reminders and memories of Darryl Kile dying...I was actually at the game at Wrigley the day before Kile died and it was so weird to hear the game was cancelled and then why. And again, it is the Cubs they are playing. Honestly, as much as I hate the Cubs as our rival, it somehow feels more appropriate and comforting that they are the opposing team again. Maybe there is just a lot of love in that hate...the rivalry brings a sort of kinship. I guess that what a rivalry is in some ways, you need each other in order to be true rivals. So a closeness forms, even if it is a closeness built on competitive "hatred" (which is really too strong a word, especially for us Christians...but that is another topic).

Anyway, this is sad. It was one kind of sadness to drop two in a row to your rival, another to lose a member of the team family. I can't say Hancock was a favorite or even around that long, but he was still a Cardinal. And a part of the only Championship team I remember. I was too young in '82 (although around, if that gives a clue to my age...if I haven't already said it--30), so this is the first Championship I have been able to celebrate. I still remember the black 57 for Kile on the uniforms...I am ashamed that I don't even know what number Hancock wore. I probably have only been able to see 2-3 games this year since I've been out of the state a lot, but I wish I had been able to see this last month of his.

Very sad times. Very sad.