Teary Eyed Over Sports

Read a story about a high school basketball game this morning. The home team's captain's mother had passed away on the day of a big game with a rival school. The captain came late for the game and requested to suit up, wanting to forget his grief but since he was not on the roster for that game, it would have meant awarding two technical foul shots to the opposing team in a close game. The opposing team wanted to waive the shots considering the situation but the referees insisted that they take them. So one player volunteered to take the shots, intentionally missing both, allowing the bereaved captain to join his teammates without any penalty.

I remember reading another story of a college women's softball game where a senior playing her last game hit her first career homerun. Rounding the bases though, her knee gave in and she crumpled in pain on the field. The closest opposing player came up to her and together with a rival player, helped the injured player officially score her homerun by carrying her to the remaining bases and gently lowering her so she could touch each base with her foot.

I don't know why, but stories of sportsmanship always make me tearyeyed.