Mr. Know-It-All
Footballguy
Irving Falu has been in the KC organization for 9 seasons but never had been called up to the big league club until today. In his first MLB at bat he hit a triple and followed that up later in the game with a single. Not a bad debut for a guy that has labored for 9 years to get a chance to follow his dream.
So what I really wanted to focus on was not the fact he made his MLB debut successfully but what he did for an 11 year old last year and why his making the bigs is so special to that kid. Last year a kid in Omaha NE (where Irving has played AAA baseball for the last several years) found out that his mother had Stage III colon cancer. This news came right at the beginning of that kids baseball season. His hero was Irving Falu. He went to as many games as as he could to watch his idol play baseball. Well, through mutual friend, it was arranged for this kid to meet his idol on the opening day of last season - a few weeks after his mother had surgery to remove a racquetball sized tumor from her colon. Irving took that kid under his wing. Every game through out that summer, Irving would call that kid down to the dugout - ask him about his baseball season, ask how his Mom was doing. Sometimes he'd give that kid a ball or some batting gloves, other times he'd just hug that kid and tell him he'd be all right. To keep playing ball and to "help out his mami". Sure he was a fan favorite and made many kids days, I am sure, but this one kid - this one kid he really helped during a very difficult time just by being a great guy.
That kid was my son James, his mother was my wife. A year later my wife has made it through the chemo and the surgeries and the prospects are looking much brighter. James continues to play baseball, help out his Mami, and try to emulate his baseball hero. In a baseball world full of antiheroes it is so nice to know there are genuine guys out there that understand how many young eyes are looking up to them. Sure he won't be a household name, but in our household he is a hero. Congrats, Irving Falu on your first of hopefully many big league hits.
So what I really wanted to focus on was not the fact he made his MLB debut successfully but what he did for an 11 year old last year and why his making the bigs is so special to that kid. Last year a kid in Omaha NE (where Irving has played AAA baseball for the last several years) found out that his mother had Stage III colon cancer. This news came right at the beginning of that kids baseball season. His hero was Irving Falu. He went to as many games as as he could to watch his idol play baseball. Well, through mutual friend, it was arranged for this kid to meet his idol on the opening day of last season - a few weeks after his mother had surgery to remove a racquetball sized tumor from her colon. Irving took that kid under his wing. Every game through out that summer, Irving would call that kid down to the dugout - ask him about his baseball season, ask how his Mom was doing. Sometimes he'd give that kid a ball or some batting gloves, other times he'd just hug that kid and tell him he'd be all right. To keep playing ball and to "help out his mami". Sure he was a fan favorite and made many kids days, I am sure, but this one kid - this one kid he really helped during a very difficult time just by being a great guy.
That kid was my son James, his mother was my wife. A year later my wife has made it through the chemo and the surgeries and the prospects are looking much brighter. James continues to play baseball, help out his Mami, and try to emulate his baseball hero. In a baseball world full of antiheroes it is so nice to know there are genuine guys out there that understand how many young eyes are looking up to them. Sure he won't be a household name, but in our household he is a hero. Congrats, Irving Falu on your first of hopefully many big league hits.
Last edited by a moderator:
for Irving.
