On a day the Beach Dusters exploded, their offensive outburst was a mere footnote.
Sure, Jack Cherry and Kevin O’Brien continued their season-opening onslaughts, and Dave Atkinson impressed at the plate in his first game of the year. All three homered in the 19-2 win over Landsdowne.
But Saturday, May 31, at Courcelette was bigger than Burby. It was about the Metzler brothers. It was about life and the small moments that are actually profound.
Let’s fast forward to the fifth inning. Eyeing a mercy and shutout, one swing of the bat changed the story of the day.
Joe Metzler took Chris Toman deep, a no-doubt two-run shot to put Landsdowne on the board and provide a memory he’ll never forget.
For those unaware, the Metzler brothers are grieving the loss of their mom and played the game with heavy hearts.
A moment of escape and celebration was exactly what they needed, and Joe delivered that. The icing on the cake: Their dad was there to witness it and share the experience with his sons.
A truly touching moment and a home run — Joe's first career TBL bomb — they’ll always remember.
As someone who recently lost a parent, I know they’re hurting right now. And I’m happy I was the one who unintentionally helped make that happen. It was meant to be.
The beauty of sport, baseball and our little tight-knit league: It can provide so much to our lives. On Saturday, it did just that.
Condolences and best wishes to the Metzler family as they navigate these challenging times.
