Wave Maker: Major Leaguer Walks the Walk

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Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Major Leaguer Walks the Walk

Ever since Curt Schilling became a member of the Boston Red Sox, I have been a huuuuuuuuge fan of his. The man's heart is a mile wide. He's a ferocious competitor and a strong leader in the clubhouse and on the field. His dictionary doesn't have the word "quit" in it. He's got great morals and ethics. And he speaks his mind, intelligently and respectfully (unless, of course, you're talking about Jose Canseco, in which case, the adjectives simply are inapplicable).

Curt has taken some lumps in the press and on talk radio (typical of Boston sportfandom) for shooting his mouth off, for going to Washington D.C. to testify at the steroids hearings, blah blah. They should all just shut up.

Anybody who has his ankle tendons stitched to his bone so he can hurl a World Series winner is walking the walk, not just talking the talk. So he can say whatever the heck he wants -- especially if he says it the way Schilling does -- frankly, forthrightly, and respectfully.

And this giant (in my book) just showed once again that when it comes to walking the walk, there's no one above him.

Moved by the plight of thousands of Gulf Coast residents whose lives were shattered by Hurricane Katrina, the star pitcher and his wife arranged to fly up a family and to put them up in a Boston-area hotel, where the family has been since Saturday.

The Fields family has seven children, four boys and three girls. They are between the ages of 5 and 12. The family fled its New Orleans home just before the storm, with only a few clothes and groceries.

As they realized the scope of the devastation in New Orleans, the Schillings decided to help, and they chose a personal, immediate gesture rather than a simple contribution of money....

...The Schillings have pledged to provide housing for the family for a year, and are trying to arrange for the children to attend school. The Fieldses plan to attend their first-ever Major League baseball game, tonight at Fenway Park....

...The Schillings have visited the family frequently since they arrived, bringing clothing, medicine and toys, and have called several times to check in, Fields said.

''They are beautiful people, God-loving people," Fields said. ''I am very grateful for what he's done for me."

And they did all this anonymously -- until the press found out about it.

This, people, is truly walking the walk.

Posted by: Wave Maker / 6:03 PM/ |