Thursday, August 11, 2005
Not all in professional sports is bad news . . .
Last Thursday in Cincinnati, 6 year old Anthony Perez' grandfather took him to the Reds-Braves game for "Tony Perez" bobblehead night.
It was the last thing Grandpa ever did for him. He died during the seventh inning of an apparent heart attack.
Security officers took little Anthony away from the scene -- and the Reds let him sit in the bullpen for the last two innings while he awaited relatives coming to pick him up.
"Jacob Cruz, Jason LaRue, Junior, they were all great with him," [Clubhouse manager Rick] Stowe said. "They gave him bats, balls, wrist bands. Felipe Lopez signed the helmet he wore in the All-Star Game and gave it to him."
"Ken Griffey Jr. was extraordinary," [Security Officer Bill] Summee said. "He went completely out of his way to do everything he could."
Said Griffey: "We just tried to make a bad situation a little better."
A very heartwarming story.
Hat tip, We Win They Lose.