So This Is Why The N.Y. Met's (Baseball's Greatest Underdogs) Play in Shay Stadium

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech thatwould never be forgotten by all who attended.After extolling the school and its dedicated staff,
he offered a question:"When not interfered with by outside influences,
everything nature does is done with perfection.
Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as otherchildren do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.
The father continued. "I believe, that when a child, likeShay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, anopportunity to realize true human! nature presents itself, and it comes,in the way other people treat that child."Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past apark where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball.
Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?"Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if ! his son wereallowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and someconfidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shaycould play, not expecting much.
The boy looked around for guidance and afew boys nodded approval, why not?
So he took matters into his own hands andsaid, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt witha broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in hisheart.The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning,
Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind bythree. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstaticjust to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as hisfather waved to him from the stands.In the bottom of the ninth inning,
Shay's team scored again.
Now, with two outs and the bases loaded,
the potential winning run was on base and Shaywas scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay batand give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was allbut impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the batproperly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate,the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life,
moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly soShay could at least be able to make contact.
The first pitch came and Shayswung clumsily and missed.
The pitcher again took a few steps forward totoss the ball softly towards Shay.
As the pitch came in, Sh! ay swung at theball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounderandcould have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.
Shay would have been out
and that would have been the end of the game.
Instead, the pitcher threwthe ball right over the head of the first baseman,
out of reach of all team mates.Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling,
"Shay, run to first! Run to first!"
Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far butmade it to first base.
He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed a! nd startled.Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath,Shay awkwardly ran towards second,
gleaming and struggling to make it to second base.

By the time Shay rounded tow! ards second base,
the right fielder had the ball,
the smallest guy on their team,
who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time.He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but heunderstood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw theball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third basedeliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming,
"Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"
Shay reached third base,
the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in thedirection of third base, and shouted,
"Run to third! Shay, run to third"

As Shay rounded third,
the boys from both teams and
those watching were on theirfeet were screaming,
"Shay, run home!"
Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate,
and was cheere! d as the hero who hit the
"grand slam" and won the game for his team.That day," said the father softly
with tears now rolling down his face,the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world."Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter,
having never forgotten being the hero
and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!