He looks like a kid, but he’s got the strength of men. And I’m not talking about bench press, either.
In a sports world inundated with Spygate, steroids, and O.J. Mayo scandals, last night 24 year-old Jon Lester reminded us why we should still invest our time and emotions into what are ultimately backyard children’s games.
Following the 2006 season, Lester was diagnosed with lymphoma.
Battling a bases loaded jam in a tie game is one thing. Battling cancer is another.
Less than two years ago, Lester was staring life or death issues in the face; 96-mile per hour fastballs were off his radar.
Not last night.
Soon after winning the fight against cancer, Lester found himself on the mound in Denver last November. Why? Oh, just to start in Game 4 – the clinching game – of the World Series, – which just so happened to be his first career postseason start as well. That’s all.
So last night, after his 129th pitch, Lester was one strike away from tossing a no-hitter in front of Red Sox Nation and finishing the first complete game of his career. And after No. 130 found the webbing of Captain Varitek’s mitt, Boston manager Terry Francona – the man who became a father figure to Lester after his ’06 diagnosis – was among the first to embrace the youngster.
And if you knew the story, you couldn’t help but get a little choked up.
Society has yet to find a cure for cancer. But some – like Lester – are strong enough to simply beat it. It’s easy for cynics to say that sports don’t matter and that they’re merely games. But if last night Lester inspired just one person to hang in there and keep on fighting, you can chalk up another “W” in the column against the disease that’s touched the lives of so many innocent people.
And you can credit baseball with the save.
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