“The Heart of Sports” is a weekly column that curates the stories, pictures and moments that provide a window into the beating heart of sports:
- The moments in and around the game that are bigger than the game itself.
- The speeches to teammates and fans that are larger even than the game itself.
- The moments when sports is used as a platform for bigger social conversations.
- The thrilling moments from your childhood that you never forget.
- The tender moments among teammates.
It’s why we watch. It’s why we play. It’s the stuff that rises up out of sports and settles down into us.
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Today’s Heart of Sports moment comes from the world of baseball, where a remarkable young Red Sox fan named Henry Frasca penned an incredible letter to Orioles first baseman, Chris Davis, who has been enduring a prolonged slump (the longest in MLB history at 0 for 56):
A 9 year old #RedSox fan saw Chris Davis was struggling and wrote him a letter.
Davis received and kept the letter, then breaking the streak.
This kid knows what it’s all about. So does Davis. #BiggerThanBaseball pic.twitter.com/HhQ3avxxMT
— Chris Dixon (@cdixon25) August 18, 2019
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Dear Mister Davis:
I’m Henry Frasca, a 9 year-old kid and die-hard Red Sox fan.
There are two things I want you to know. First, the way you play baseball has nothing to do with how good a person you are. You weren’t a better person when you were hitting more home runs. You aren’t a worse person now.
Secondly, you are incredible. Don’t forget. You’ve played MLB, and you’ve done it for a long time. You hit 50 home runs in a season. You’re really good. You’ve got to believe in yourself, and I’m going to believe in you. There’ll be one Red Sox fan rooting for you.
Sincerely,
Your friend, Henry.
When asked where he came up with the line “the way you play baseball has nothing to do with how good a person you are,” Henry responded, “I have a lot of random thoughts that happen to occur at good times. But, I’m not sure…”
Davis was very moved by the letter; in fact, he told Henry that he has carried the letter around with him all season, after receiving it:
“I just wanted to give him a hug. I think a lot of times, people don’t really realize the way they impact us. At that point in time going through what I was going through to get a letter like that, and especially from a nine year-old, it was pretty special.”
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Photo Credit: YouTube/Orioles MASN