Bigger than baseball

Anyone who's spent five minutes talking to me knows there are few things I hold in higher regard than baseball. Today I want to talk about something far greater than the game.

A few hours before the game, the Defenders held a press conference to announce that on May 26th all but $2 from each ticket sold will go to help the family of Tyler Dyer, the 14-year-old freshman baseball player from Waterford High School. Dyer fractured his neck in three places in a boating accident last month.

The only member of the media who attended, I sat and listened to the team's announcement as well as comments from some of Dyer's family.

Usually I can remain unaffected by whatever I am covering (save for my first assignment at Yankee Stadium), but when I went to speak with Dyer's grandfather and all he could do was cry, I wished I could do more than simply say I'm sorry or that things will get better.

This is where I can do something, using the platform my blog affords me. I'm asking everyone who reads this to make a donation to the Cactus Jack Foundation.

Simply think if it was your child, your nephew or grandson or neighbor who was in the hospital bed instead of Tyler. Few of us as wealthy enough to not need a helping hand. I'm not asking you to fork over a paycheck or an amount to keep you from paying the bills.

Do something that makes a difference.