I have a buddy named Ben. He’s a pastor, too, and we played baseball together in college. Lest that sound more impressive than it is, we went to a really small Bible college, and we weren’t very good at baseball (but our pre-game prayers were slammin’!) That being said, Ben was a pretty good pitcher. I think I remember him tossing a no-hitter while we were at Toccoa Falls College.
Every spring I can count on Ben to send me a message via FB like this:
Ben and I share a love for the Pittsburgh Pirates. I grew up watching the Braves play on the Superstation, and I still root for the Braves (as does my oldest son). But serving as the chaplain for the Buccos minor league team here in State College has triggered a shift in my loyalties. I’ve prayed with and over years of young men as they play their way through Happy Valley. Last year the Spikes renewed their affiliation with the St Louis Cardinals, another fine organization. But I’ve got several young men still in the Pirates system, and I hope to check in on them this weekend.
It’s funny, I suppose, that I lived half of my life one state away from Spring Training and never got there. This weekend I’ll hop a plane, fly down to Pirate City, and spend a day in the sun with my father in law. You won’t find a bigger or better informed Pirate fan than him. Should be a blast.
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