Going Deep

Growing up I always wished I had a brother. To me having a brother seems really special for a lot of reasons. You share the same parents so you get to split the chores and gripe about it together. You always have someone to talk to and/or argue with. When you make a mistake or break something you have somebody else to blame it on. And you have more fun because there's two of you. Plus when things go wrong or someone wants to fight with you, you know your brother will be the first one there to help you fight back.

Well, even though my parents never provided me with a brother, I did discover a brotherhood of friends when I joined the Halo Baseball Club. Our club has 67 members and although we aren't truly brothers in blood, or even brothers-in-law, we are definitely brothers in the way we love and care about each other. For 10 years now we have played baseball together and before every game we gather on the mound for a prayer for the safety and protection of each man and his family. Unfortunately three of our club members have passed away so far, all below the age of 51, so we treasure every game and the precious time we have together.

At last Sunday’s game, as I led the prayer on the mound, I felt compelled to offer an additional prayer for one of our brothers. I had just found out that day that one of our members, Doug Gastineau, was going into the hospital on Tuesday to donate a kidney to his older brother who needed a transplant to survive. Doug hadn't brought it up (because that's the humble kind of guy he is) but when I heard the news from another player it shocked me and impressed me at the same time. I have always liked Doug and felt a close friendship with him because of his great attitude and kind heart, but now I realized even more how loving and courageous he really is.

The kidney transplant operation went well. When I visited Doug at the hospital just hours after the surgery, he was already awake and smiling. We talked for 20 minutes about baseball, chasing down fly balls, the art of laying down a bunt for a sacrifice and how hard it is to hit a curve ball. Speaking of hitting a baseball, very few members of our Halo Baseball Club have ever "gone deep" (slang for hitting a home run over the fence). We use wood bats and play on full size college and MLB baseball fields, so it's rare for someone to “go deep”. I've certainly never done it. But this past week, Doug Gastineau "went deep" in a way that truly defines brotherly love while laying down a “sacrifice” that will set a new record not soon to be broken in the Halo Baseball Club.

Doug strikes a batting pose just hours after surgery

It takes two men to make one brother.
~ Israel Zangwill