Strength comes in many forms. It takes a strong man to hit a homerun off a ball just a foot from the ground, yet not only did Troy Tulowitzki do this in a game I was watching early in the season, but Vladimir Guerrero and Roberto Clemente made careers out of it. It also takes a strong man to admit when he's made mistakes and take responsibility for them, as umpire Jim Joyce did with his blown call during Armando Gallaraga's perfect game, and Brooks Conrad did after muffing three errors in a Braves playoff game. On the other hand, to overcome a devastating loss requires a different type of strength entirely.
I'm not referring to a loss on the field, but one of the heart and mind. The tragic death of young Angels' pitcher Nick Adenhart rekindles when speaking of such a situation. The loss of this young man due to a drunk driver scarred the team he played for and everyone associated with it. It took strength of character from his teammates, the coaches, and his family and friends to band together and not only remember the fine young man, but to honor him appropriately. It's tough for grown men and women to overcome these tremendous emotional blows, but for a teenager it can be nearly impossible.
Just don't tell that to young Jaydin Goldenstein of the Holyoke High School baseball team. In a Yahoo.com article from Cameron Smith, the story is told of how "After a year of estrangement from his mother, a drug addict who spent significant time in jail and a halfway house, Goldenstein sat by her bedside as she died." A tragic event that could easily have sidelined any normal person for the season, and possibly from baseball forever. But Goldenstein proved he was made of sterner stuff, when just two days later he performed the near unthinkable. In the midst of a double-header against Wray High School, and with the Lower Platte league title up for grabs, Jaydin started the day by throwing a no-hitter, and then in the second game hit 4 home runs. It was a day of such incredible achievement on the baseball field, that I doubt it will ever be equaled in history.
Not only did this young man accomplish the near impossible on the diamond, but according to the original article in The Denver Post by Benjamin Hochman, "He plays football, basketball, baseball and a mean guitar. And there he was onstage this winter, stealing scenes as Hugo Peabody, Kim's steady, in "Bye Bye Birdie."' A theater guy, too? This kid is freaking incredible! And it might just be due to his adversity as a young boy dealing with his parents' horrendous divorce and a drug-addict mother, that instilled in him the drive to succeed at such a high level. Proof positive against the idea that shielding someone (especially children) from harm, embarrassment, or unpleasantness in general somehow makes them a stronger person.
This is certainly not a comparison, but it brings to mind the ordeal that Cleveland Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo had to go through this past winter. According to South Korean's mandatory military service protocol, all men have to serve in the military before the age of 30. However, by being a part of the South Korean National Team, and winning gold in the Asian Games last November, Choo was able to bypass his military service, and continue playing the game he loves for the Indians. Choo didn't glide by on the efforts of his teammates either. Choo stepped up to meet the challenge, and over the course of the event Choo went 8-14, with three homers, eight runs, and 11 runs batted in. In the final game to win gold, he went 2-4 with two RBI and a stolen base. I think that man wanted to win.
In this world where the term hero is thrown around more than beanbags at a Philadelphia tailgating party, these types of performances are worthy of being called heroic. It doesn't mean the men and women who accomplish them are heroes, though. It simply means what Webster's Dictionary refers to as "any person admired for noble qualities or special achievements." In my opinion, the term 'hero' should still be reserved for the precious few who go above and beyond special achievements and who do the near impossible. Like the firefighter who runs into a burning building. The men and women who stand up for what's right, no matter the personal cost, like in Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria. Or maybe the soldiers of Navy Seal Team 6 who took down an enemy of man kind when the potential risks and personal toll were at the utmost highest.
Whatever your opinion of what makes a hero, it's nice to be reminded that they still exist. Whether they are changing the world for the better, or just reminding people in a small town in Colorado that it's possible to overcome personal tragic with grace and strength. While it's somewhat contradictory, Jaydin Goldenstein is not a hero, he just performed a heroic act. He is the face of a generation that has grown up with tragedy, but might just be the better for it. I applaud his efforts, as I'm sure my readership will, too. Let's hope that there are a lot more Jaydin Goldensteins out there.
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