| was a very exciting day for us the | | | | never give up. " It seemed so appropriate for |
| championship Little League game of the season. | | | | Ben,as those were the words he lived by,fighting |
| Two teams would be battling it out one more | | | | this disease for one-and-a-half years,up to his |
| time for the championship. We were the only | | | | very last breath. Upon his death, we had those |
| team all season to beat this"Paint Shop" team,and | | | | words inscribed on his tombstone. Those special |
| they were determined to win tonight's game. | | | | words became a message to my children and me |
| We were a baseball family. Ben,my husband,had | | | | upon every visit to his grave. They were not |
| coached the Little League team for the past two | | | | something to be shared they were just for |
| years, but he had lost his battle to cancer two | | | | us. Our secret message to each other from Dad. |
| months earlier. Dying at the age of forty-three | | | | The game was close,and Jared felt the pressure. |
| after a courageous struggle,he had left me and | | | | Because parents, family and friends on both |
| our two children,Jared,ten,and Lara,six. | | | | teams had helped care for our children at a |
| He had coached while undergoing massive doses | | | | moment's notice during our nightmare and had felt |
| of chemotherapy and many stays in the hospital, | | | | much anguish upon Ben's death, every person at |
| along with daily trips to the hospital for tests. | | | | that field missed Ben that evening. |
| Despite being tired,worried and worn down,he had | | | | One enthusiastic father,whose son was new to |
| continued to coach.How he delighted in Jared's | | | | the team, and who had not known our family |
| accomplishments playing baseball, and how proud | | | | circumstances over the past year,came to the |
| he would have been today of this team and | | | | game with twenty-five paper cups on which he |
| Jared,the team leader and starting pitcher. | | | | had written different baseball expressions: "Get a |
| Ben was an English teacher by profession and had | | | | base hit,""Catch that fly ball,""Pop-Up,""Bunt. " |
| enjoyed coaching soccer and baseball for years. | | | | What fun it would be for each player to read a |
| He taught the teams how to play the game and | | | | message on his cup after quenching his thirst. |
| about good sportsmanship, fair play and physical | | | | The score was closest was a nerve-wracking |
| fitness. He also taught his family and a caring | | | | game. In the fourth inning,Jared pulled a cup out |
| community how to fight a terrible disease with | | | | randomly for his drink of water. Suddenly he ran |
| faith, hope,courage and dignity. He gave us all the | | | | from the bench over to me with the cup. Written |
| courage to hope when all hope was lost. | | | | on his cup were the words, "Never,never give up. |
| An avid reader,Ben jotted down quotes on index | | | | " The news spread fast. Ben was there, even if in |
| cards and left them here or there around the | | | | spirit only. Needless to say,we won the game,and |
| house. One quote he loved was by Winston | | | | the cup now sits on a shelf next to Ben's picture |
| Churchill during World War I:"Never, never, never, | | | | to greet anyone who walks in our back door. |