Genuine Sports

With all the negativity in recent sporting events, I was excited to see a sensitive event on Sportscenter.

I found it genuinely refreshing to witness such a sweet and noble act. The father catches a difficult foul ball and, in his celebration, gives his trophy to his daughter, no more than two years old. Not quite understanding the weight of the situation, the girl throws the ball away.

The father's reaction is amazingly priceless. He is shocked, maybe even disappointed in losing the keepsake, but his unconditional love for his daughter outlasts any material loss. He cradles his daughter in his arms, the palms of his hands larger than her head, and cherishes the moment together.

I'm not going to hyperbolize and title this man "The Greatest Father Ever" because millions of fathers out there would do the exact same thing: find unending joy in a daughter's innocence.

But I would say this is very noteworthy because this girl is incredibly lucky. In a few years, when she is more aware of life and the context of fatherhood and baseball, she will be able to relive this event cognizant of her father's genuine affection. I'm sure my father has, many times in his life, shown such unwavering love...but I have no such chronicle of his paternal care.

What a lovely day to be a little girl loved by her baseball-fan father.