Class Act by a 1st Class guy.

[Maple Leaf Angus]

Two or three years ago, my wife's cousin (Dannie) told me he was doing carpentry work on some wealthy folk's cottages in the Bancroft area (beautiful lake country north of Toronto). One of them, he said, was a baseball player who pitched for the Orioles.

Being a huge baseball fan, I asked who the guy might be. Pat Hentgen, he says. Wow, I said, you are working for Pat Hentgen? Yes, Dannie says, you know of Pat Hentgen? :lol2:

Well he only pitched the Blue Jays to a win in Game 3 of the '93 World Series! Threw 6 innings, gave up 5 hits and 1 earned run! He only threw 264 innings one season and then 260 the next . . . he only won a Cy Young with the Jays! Yup, I know Pat Hentgen!

Well, Dannie says, I should give you the autographed ball he gave me. You see, Dannie isn't a baseball fan at all. Nope, I said, you had better keep that ball! That was 2 or 3 years ago.

Well, last Sunday after church, Dannie's brother-in-law comes over to me before we left to go home and hands me a plastic baggie with a baseball in it. I nearly choked when I looked at it.

Written in pen, it said "To John, Best of luck, Pat Hentgen." Dannie had gone back to do more work on Pat's "cottage" and when he saw Pat, he told him that he knew a chap to whom it would mean a lot to have Pat's autograph. Pat obliged by giving him a personally addressed, autographed baseball!

I always thought Hentgen was a really classy guy besides being a super pitcher, but he just went to the top of the scale by seeing a longtime fan's little wish fulfilled!

Now how cool is that?

 

[Mrs.Greg]

Thats sooo cool!I'm confused though who your saying is a class act.....I'm assuming its your wifes cousin because that was a very classy thing to have done for you

 

[Maple Leaf Angus]

Although I meant Pat, I should certainly have included Dannie as well. I wrote down Dannie's email address to send him a "thank you", but have misplaced it and will need to get it from his sister when I see her on Sunday.

 

[nonothing]

It is true what they say,small acts can lead to big smiles...Paying it forward is really a nice concept..I am impressed with the one fella remembering to ask,and then the pitcher's kindness to act on that gesture and a third to be apperiecate of both those acts of kindness...These kind of small yet huge stories we need to hear more often..ty for sharing it MLA.It was nice to to see a post meant just for smiling and feeling good..

 

[Maple Leaf Angus]

When I think about how it all came together, it presents me with an unforgettable lesson. Dannie replied this week and said " . . . it was an easy thing for me to do." And he did it in part because of the history we share from way back when.

Therefore, one should never underestimate the impact of a kindness done for another, regardless how small it may seem to the doer. Both Pat and Dannie just were happy to do what they could for someone else.

Sometimes we can give someone else so much joy with so little effort on our part. And the person whose life we touch is empowered to pass it along, or "pay it forward".