I Stand.
On a warm summer night, I sat at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario eating a hot dog with ballpark mustard and cheering on the pride of Cleveland. The sounds of whipping balls and cracked bats were met with the cheers of “Let's go Tribe”! The humid lake shore summer air was a balance of downward sorrow and uplifting hope. Baseball is a game of overcoming the grind and keeping hope alive when your back is against the wall. A Tribe pitcher, Carlos “Cookie” Carrasco, had his back put against the wall earlier in the summer with a diagnosis of cancer. Cookie would endure chemotherapy in the morning, rest, and be at home games in the evening to support his teammates. He continued to train to prepare for the day when he would return to toe the rubber and throw his fireball past an opposing batter. Cookie, the father of five, was in the fight of his life. Northeast Ohioians from around the nation rallied to have his back. “I Stand with Cookie” s...