Comments on: Gant Found Dead From Apparent Suicide http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/high-school/2012/04/gant-found-dead-from-apparent-suicide/ Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:49:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Delores Crowell http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/high-school/2012/04/gant-found-dead-from-apparent-suicide/comment-page-1/#comment-17288 Delores Crowell Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:44:34 +0000 http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/high-school/?p=671#comment-17288   In my mind, I can see him now, on the mound, winding up and sending batters back to the dugout one after another, with grace and ease. The kind of confidence that you see in athletes more than twice his age. But he was special, a gift from God with the kind of talent that only He can give. But, I never knew him, never attended any of his games and never even knew his name. But I always knew he was out there. Someone had to be the best, and it was Stephen Gant.   I am a Mom with a young son who plays competitive baseball and this event gives me great pause. I am not making any connection between this wonderful gift from God and baseball. What I am connecting, is how I need to focus on my son and keep him close in my view and in my heart.  Right now, his parents are probably questioning themselves and feeling a pain that I cannot imagine. My heart hurts for them and I pray they give themselves time to remember how special he was, outside of baseball.  I have learned that at some point, our kids shut us out and begin making their own decisions. Many times, we dont agree with them or understand them, nonetheless, it is a threshold that must be crossed and every child gets there.  Whatever his pain, Stephen also had much more joy. I am sure he had a loving family, friends and the adoration of many.  But I konw baseball and baseball familes are a special group. We dont have cheerleaders with pom-poms, there is no band, to serenade is through each inning and there is no half-time entertainment. No, we have something special, we have a love for the game and an even deeper love for the thousands of kids who give it their all each time they run out on the field. First, to make their families proud and later, to prove to themselves that they can achieve great heights as individuals and even greater rewards as a team.  I never met Stephen Gant, but I know Stephen Gant.  He was a gift from God and may his soul be at peace.     
In my mind, I can see him now, on the mound, winding up and sending batters back to the dugout one after another, with grace and ease. The kind of confidence that you see in athletes more than twice his age. But he was special, a gift from God with the kind of talent that only He can give. But, I never knew him, never attended any of his games and never even knew his name. But I always knew he was out there. Someone had to be the best, and it was Stephen Gant.  
I am a Mom with a young son who plays competitive baseball and this event gives me great pause. I am not making any connection between this wonderful gift from God and baseball. What I am connecting, is how I need to focus on my son and keep him close in my view and in my heart.  Right now, his parents are probably questioning themselves and feeling a pain that I cannot imagine. My heart hurts for them and I pray they give themselves time to remember how special he was, outside of baseball.  I have learned that at some point, our kids shut us out and begin making their own decisions. Many times, we dont agree with them or understand them, nonetheless, it is a threshold that must be crossed and every child gets there.  Whatever his pain, Stephen also had much more joy. I am sure he had a loving family, friends and the adoration of many.  But I konw baseball and baseball familes are a special group. We dont have cheerleaders with pom-poms, there is no band, to serenade is through each inning and there is no half-time entertainment. No, we have something special, we have a love for the game and an even deeper love for the thousands of kids who give it their all each time they run out on the field. First, to make their families proud and later, to prove to themselves that they can achieve great heights as individuals and even greater rewards as a team. 
I never met Stephen Gant, but I know Stephen Gant.  He was a gift from God and may his soul be at peace.   

]]> By: David Limbaugh http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/high-school/2012/04/gant-found-dead-from-apparent-suicide/comment-page-1/#comment-16881 David Limbaugh Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:09:52 +0000 http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/high-school/?p=671#comment-16881 <span>2<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif">:49am - can't sleep - just woke again - cough wakes me up but real reason I can't sleep is I can't get my hands around something that happened 12 hours earlier. I have had the great pleasure and fortune to watch some great high school baseball players over the year. David Price of the Rays. Ben R<span>evere of the Twins. Zach Cozart of the Reds. Mikie Minor of the Braves. Michael McHenry of the Pirates. The list would go on for a long time. Three years ago I saw a freshman in the state tournament go 8-12 at the plate and pitch 12 innings of 11 hit, 3 earned runs and 16s over two starts, losing championship game 3-2. His team came back his sophomore year and he went 8-15 at the plate, threw 4 perfect innings in the state championship games, with 8Ks, pulled because his team was up big, with him going 2-2 with a double. Last year, he went 9-18 at the plate, with 2 HRs. He went 7 innings in the championship game, another state title, and went 2-4 with a double and triple. In 3 state tournaments, 25-50 for a .500 average 29 IP, 14 Hits 4 ER, 0.97 ERA 44KS Signed with Vanderbilt Watched him pitch a shutout Saturday with 12 scouts watching. Over the years I became friends with his father and grandfather. I can not even imagine their pain right now. That great baseball player is dead. I am in so much pain right now. And I watched him play about ten games. Please say a prayer for the family and their community.</span></span></span></span> 2:49am – can't sleep – just woke again – cough wakes me up but real reason I can't sleep is I can't get my hands around something that happened 12 hours earlier.

I have had the great pleasure and fortune to watch some great high school baseball players over the year. David Price of the Rays. Ben Revere of the Twins. Zach Cozart of the Reds. Mikie Minor of the Braves. Michael McHenry of the Pirates. The list would go on for a long time. Three years ago I saw a freshman in the state tournament go 8-12 at the plate and pitch 12 innings of 11 hit, 3 earned runs and 16s over two starts, losing championship game 3-2.

His team came back his sophomore year and he went 8-15 at the plate, threw 4 perfect innings in the state championship games, with 8Ks, pulled because his team was up big, with him going 2-2 with a double.

Last year, he went 9-18 at the plate, with 2 HRs. He went 7 innings in the championship game, another state title, and went 2-4 with a double and triple.

In 3 state tournaments, 25-50 for a .500 average
29 IP, 14 Hits 4 ER, 0.97 ERA 44KS

Signed with Vanderbilt

Watched him pitch a shutout Saturday with 12 scouts watching.

Over the years I became friends with his father and grandfather.

I can not even imagine their pain right now. That great baseball player is dead. I am in so much pain right now. And I watched him play about ten games. Please say a prayer for the family and their community.

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