Brendan's Bulls

That summer and eight year old boy taught us all what a Champion really is.

  

I watched as my son grabbed his glove and took off for centerfield,his long spindly legs, that, at 10 yrs old showed a hint of the speed and grace that dads and coaches looked for in an athlete.

Of course I was the coach. I coached both my sons all through their beginning sports endeavors. We were called the " Springdale Bulls." 

Our team was 2 and 0,and we were leading in this game. But, something had caught my eye on the empty field, on the far side of the recreation center. There were dozens of fields,and on this particular day they were all empty,but a couple. I noticed this kid in a motorized wheelchair just circling around the infield.

 I also noticed a woman sitting in one of the dugouts,which I guessed was his mother. I tried to keep my mind on the game,but there was something sad about seeing this lone kid on that empty ballfield.

 

After the game I noticed the kid was still there; still going around and around and around...alone. I told Sue I would meet everyone at the pool. I just wanted to check something out. As I walked from our field towards the kid, I noticed this woman leave the dugout, and start to walk toward me. There was a determination in her stride, as if she was preparing for somekind of conflict. 

I could feel a volcano coming toward me.

 

I began smiling, because it was obvious this rather heavy set woman was mis-reading my intention.

"Hi young man." I said.

"What do you want ?" she asked, in a stern mother like voice. All of a sudden I felt I was on the defensive.

"I just wanted to say hi to your son, that is your son,right ?" Her reply was direct and to the point.

 

 "I suppose there's some rule he can't ride his wheelchair on the field."

"Do you work here ?" She asked

 

"No,Oh No, I am just a coach and saw him and wanted to come over to say hi." I saw the red in her face start to subside, and the tenseness in her body begin to ease.

"My name is,Ray." I said. "Who is this guy ? I enquired , smiling.

"This is my son, Brendan, He's 8 yrs old and has Cerebral Palsy." I knelt down by Brendan's chair.

 

 

"How fast will that thing go?" Brendan broke out in a smile,his head swinging side to side, uncontrollably.

Then I witnessed the most amazing thing. Brendan was talking to me, and I couldn't make out a word, but his mother(Colleen) translated. It was like they had developed this supernatural way of understanding. I was hypnotized by this mother/son communication. I think God chose Colleen to be Brendan's mom. An eight year old boy who could do nothing on his own, can be very stressful. I remember once, as Colleen prepaired dinner for coming guests, Brendan just relentlessly bugged her while he laid on the floor. He wouldn't stop. To my shock, she looked at him and simply said,

" Brendan, if you don't shut up so I can get all this work done, I'm going to pick you up like a dart, and throw you through the livingroom wall.

" Brendan just broke out laughing. That's all he wanted..attention. I've never seen a bond like theirs. Some would call that child abuse. I called it knowing how to handle "your" child.

 

Colleen thought I worked for the park system and was coming over to chase her son off the field. Thank God that was not the case. Brendan was Colleen's life...  Oh, I pity the person who tried to deny her son a chance at a normal life.

The only analogy I can find to describe what happened next, is hitting fast forward on the channel changer, and not being able find the stop button, or slow it down. Everything happened in fast motion. It was if I was not in control.

"How would you like to be on our team,Brendan?" I blurted out of no-where. His 8 yr old face lit up like Time Square on New Years eve. His head and arms flailed wildly with excitement.
" Now I mean with a uniform and everything." I wasn't even positive we had an extra uniform. I looked at Colleen. She had tears streaming down her cheeks. "Are you serious?" She asked. I looked at Brendan. "You'll have to obey the rules like everyone else." Again his body jumped with excitement.

"Look", I told him. You won't be able to bat, or play the way our other boys do, but you can be out on the field during warm ups."

With that, I got Colleen's number. It turned out they only lived a few blocks away.

 

Colleen walked over to me and grabbed my hand. "He's NEVER been around normal boys his age." "Can you keep him safe?" she asked. This was something I didn't even consider. He was defenseless. A line drive,a foul ball, a misthrow, any of these could hurt him seriously.

I told her I would call her. I went directly into the offices of the Springdale athletic department. I talked to Jim. He was the last word in any sports activity.

 

I explained what I wanted to do. Jim bulked. "Ray,you're putting a defenseless kid into a potential dangerous scenario." The words that came from my mouth flowed as if someone had scripted it.

"Jim,This will give my team a chance to appreciate how lucky they are, and Brendan a chance to belong to a regular team. 

 "I will assign at least three kids to watch him at all times." "Jim, this kid has "NEVER" had a chance to be a part of any sports." He's never been treated like a normal kid."

"Go see if you have a spare uniform." He said.

 After some searching around, I found one.

 "YES!!" I shouted.

The next day I called Colleen and told her I had a uniform for Brendan, and could I bring it over. I heard her shout out to Brendan.

"Ray's got your uniform. He wants to bring it over."

 

I can't find the words to explain the kind of happiness I witnessed as I watched Colleen struggle to put it on him.

Suddenly,there he was,Number 10, Brendan Mcphillips.

My boys were 9 and 10 yr old kids. They had never seen anyone liked Brendan. There was alot of curiousity, and alot of not knowing what to say. Brendan operated is chair with is chin. The first thing I did was gather them all around Brendan, who was all smiles. "Brendan,show them how fast your chair will go." With that,he was off to the outfield. "How many of you can run faster than Brendan's chair?" All hands went up.

 

"Brendan, come back here." We were all in a circle now. They were starting to get over this odd kid who rode around in a chair.

"Joey, Ryan, Jose, put your hands behind your back and stand side by side." I instructed them. I reached in the ballbag and grabbed three baseballs. Gently, I lofted a ball toward Joe's chest. Instinctually, he brought his hands around and batted it down. I did the same thing with Ryan and Jose.

"Boys,if I threw a ball to Brendan he wouldn't be able to bat it away."

Brendan is your teammate. I will assign three of you throughout the game to protect him, "Understand ?" They all agreed. "I'm serious,boys, Brendan depends on you."

 

 "Brendan, go out to centerfield with Joe." " Let's go boys."

During practice I saw how the boys got used to having him there. I think they also understood how hard it had to be for him to not run and throw, and play the way they did. Our team's name was "The Springdale Bulls" and we were 3 wins and no losses. At the end of practice I gathered them all around.

 

 

 

"Boys,You know what I think would be really cool ?" "Brendan will never be able to actually play,but we could make him feel like a real part of this team."

 

"Whadda ya say we change our name to "Brendan's Bulls ?" There was a loud cheer, and it was decided from then on, we were "Brendan's Bulls."

Colleen and Sue made a huge banner that we always hung from the dugout fence. We won our next 6 games. One more game and we had an undefeated season. I admit there was some close calls, but mostly the boys took their job of protecting Brendan seriously. We would hang the ball bag from Brendans chair. Boys would lay their bats on his lap, anything to make him feel he belonged.

 

One day a news station van appeared in the parking lot. It was there to film a new addition the rec had built. But,casually the news reporter wandered over to where we were practicing. He saw Brendan and it piqued his interest. He also called his crew over. After Colleen explained the series of events which led up to Brendan's being on the team, the reporter asked  "Would you mind if we did a segment on your team ?

 

"Now ? I asked. "Yes,we'd like to interview some of the boys, the mother, and the coach."

 

Colleen tried to focus on me, and  I tried to focus on what the boys did. The boys were so excited about being on TV. It was wild. The climax of the segment was Brendan being at homeplate, someone hit the ball for him, and he was off!!! He had his chair cranked up and he was going for an inside the park home run. He scared us all a couple times when his chair hit the bag and went up on 2 wheels. The boys were laughing and acting foolishly dramatic.

But, they knew what the camera wanted. Brendan rounded 3rd, headed for home. The boys muffed the ball perfectly until Brendan neared homeplate. The boys were screaming for him, Brendan's face filled with pure happiness. Of course, Brendan's wheel touched homeplate, as Ryan awkwardly tried to reach out and tag him. The news reporter, who was really caught up in the staged insanity, shouted "SAFE"!!!

 

Some summers are precious for many reasons. Brendan's Bulls won their last game. We went undefeated. We were Champions, but not because we didn't lose a game. We were Champions because a lonely eight year old boy, who would never run, throw, or play, was accepted as normal, for the first time in his life. 

He was number 10 sitting in that chair, but he was number ONE that summer.

Reviews

[Robert Luna]

This nearly brought me to tears. You are such a damn good example of what a human being should be like. I am once again reminded of how grateful I am to have you as a friend. This story was heart warming and so moving. I moved around alot as a kid and I always had to go through that stage of being the new kid no one wanted to talk to. So i can relate on a very small level to how this made Brendan feel to be accept like this. You did a great thing by doing that Ray and I am sure it effected him forever after that, just to know there are people out there like you that are willing to be there for them.


Loved This!!!!!

[Phil Sanders]

There is only one word for this magnificent story .... BRILLIANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[John Stussy]

This is a very heart-warming story Ray. It takes a different kind of person to be able to do what you and your boys did, a lot of compassion. It could have been very different with no problem, people do tend to shun those who are different. It makes me so happy to see those people being welcomed instead, and being treated normal. Human. Thank you for sharing this with us all Ray, an excellent example to us all. I hope that we all can be as compassionate as you when opportunities like that arise.

[Amor-de-angel]

I lived every image you described. This was outstanding in it's beauty of letting that lad be a part of something so special. Outstanding story Ray.

[Bubo]

Oh Rain.........its a truly wonderful thing you did, gave a boy the opportunity to simply fit in, not be
seen as any different and what a wonderful thing HE did .............sometimes the faith of one human is enough to perform miracles and I can imagine his mother was just over joyed................this is such a warm and beautiful story........and you are a man who see's with his eyes open what the world lacks. Compassion.

He had his chair cranked up and he was going for an inside the park home run. He scared us all a couple times when his chair hit the bag and went up on 2 wheels. The boys were laughing and acting foolishly dramatic.
But, they knew what the camera wanted. Brendan rounded 3rd, headed for home. The boys muffed the ball perfectly until Brendan neared homeplate. The boys were screaming for him, Brendans face filled with pure happiness. Of course, Brendan's wheel touched homeplate, as Ryan awkwardly tried to reach out and tag him. The news reporter, who was really caught up in the staged insanity, shouted "SAFE"!!!

Of course your descriptions never fail to capture and make me smile..............I was at the game reading your words!

[Duane Klinger]

AMAZING!!! I have no other word that could describe it. You always hear stories about the kids who bring inspiration to others but I've never heard a first hand account on it. This is probabaly one of my personal favorites of all of your writes

[All faded blue]

AHhhhhhh this is so cool! Found myself laughing, crying, and wanting to see the whole thing play out. Another phenomenol write from Rain!!!!!