The Great Umpire Makes The Call

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With each reciting, the words may come out a little different, but this is how l rmember them:
“No Man Stands So Tall As When He Stoops To Help A Child.”
Based on this criteria, John Heisler of Goshen was A Giant.

I say this because I can't think of another person who gave so much of his life to helping kids as did John
He built a ballpark so kids would have someplace to play ball.
To play, of course, a kid needs a glove. A few kids could not afford to buy a glove
but as soon as Heisler found out about it, he went out and bought them one.
He bought gloves and bats and balls, making sure that no kid
went without the things necessary to play the great game of baseball, or softball
The park he built and maintained has several fields and many games are played on every day.

But his generosity, his caring, extended even beyond the ballfield.
He would not want it publicized,
but I’m told that he also would be sure a hungry kid’s family had food if they were uable to buy some.
His love for others, especially kids knew no boundaries.

All of the good things I could write about Heisler would not be enough to adequately describe the man’s true greatness.
Because once in a great while, a person comes along whose character and life canot be sufficieudy told in mere words.
The way they live their lives tells more about who and what they are than mere words ever could.
But I wonder if Heisler might say about himself what George Bernard Shaw once had to say:
“I am convinced that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live,
it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can, for the harder I work the more l live.
l rejoice in life for its own sake, Life is no brief candle to me.
It it a sort of splendid torch which I got hold of for a moment, and l want to make it burn as brightly as possible
before tuning it over to future generations."

The torch has now been tumed over, because the Great Umpire in the sky made what was,
to John, final call of the game, and Heisler is now watching over “his kids” from a comfortable seat in heaven’s bleachers.

He's rooting them on, cheering their accomplishment.
And after the dust has settled when the last out has been called, and the kids pick up their gloves and walk
with their parents to waiting cars, John smiles, seeing that others have indeed taken hold of the torch,
and are making sure that his dreams and hopes are being fulfilled.

The coaches, the umpires. the concession stand operators, the parents, the kids, the spectators,
anybody who has anything to do with the games played out on John’s ball fields, these are the torch-bearers..
These are the people who become an part of John's life and memory.

John was laid to rest on a hilltop overlooking a ballpark, which seems very appropriate.
And one who attended his funeral told a very beautiful story abut something that happened there.
When the eulogy had been given, and prayers offered, and friends and family were saying ther final farewells,
from the ball field below came great cheer. And it was no wonder
The call had been made:
John Heisler Was Safe At Home.

Submitted by Charles D. Back