Love and Baseball

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the Astros won the World Series the evening before All Saints Day. For as long as I can remember, our Father’s Day tradition was to go to a game with my Grandpa, but this summer marked the first time without him. At his memorial service in January, I reflected that there may be no crying in baseball, but I was absolutely going to shed a tear or two when the time came to go without him… Spoiler alert, I wept through the whole thing. And then again at the conclusion of Game 6. And then again in worship earlier this month as the bells of remembrance were tolled. And about a million other instances when I was reminded of the bereavement I have endured this year. 

No, I don’t consider it insignificant that this season of unforgettable baseball aligned with my own personal season of grief. However, for as much pain and anguish “America’s Pastime” has invoked recently, my investment couldn’t have been greater. In a very out-of-character move, I found myself plunging headfirst into all things baseball this year, particularly during the playoffs. Yes, I relished each hard-fought victory, but camaraderie proved to be the biggest selling point. 

The documentary series Welcome to Wrexham explores this intimacy of athletics’ transformative nature. Author Elizabeth Plank was interviewed about the effect of sports in relationships, explaining, “The first guy I asked [what he missed about sports during the pandemic] had a tear go down, and he said, ‘Talking about it with my dad.’”

While my Grandpa would’ve loved to see us win the trophy, the real reason I associate him with baseball is because it was something we enjoyed together. But in his absence, I’ve learned to lean on a new team: the very same people who mourned with me were now the same ones celebrating with me. 

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Spending the last month laughing and screaming and jumping up and down after every major play with my friends and family was more than a thrill…it was a holy form of healing. And like a perfectly round baseball, God’s story of blessing us through his people in times of joy and in times of sorrow is a love that lives forevermore.