It was true that twelve old Leroy Carter loved sports almost as much as he loved God. For in addition to his daily Bible reading, he also read the sports pages of no less than two newspapers a day.
In bed at night Leroy saw visions of himself running a hundred yards for a touchdown. In basketball he saw himself making one three point shot after another and in baseball he invariably saw himself hitting a home run with the bases loaded. But the vision he enjoyed most was seeing his self wearing the red and gold colored letter jacket that he would receive for all his athletic achievements.
Leroy lived alone with his mother who worked as a checker at a supermarket grocery store. They lived in a modest frame house near the downtown section of Craterville Valley , a farming community of ten thousand people. Leroy’s father, a farmer and part-time preacher, died in a tractor trailer accident before he was born.
Growing up Leroy became a star playing sand lot football and soft ball. But by the time he entered high school he stood five feet, six inches tall and weighed only 110 pounds. With his small chin, pointed nose, deep set brown eyes and stringy blond hair Leroy was so skinny that the sight of his ribs and hip bones often shocked him when he disrobed for any reason.
Thus, because of his size he gave up his dream of playing football and basketball, but thought sure he could excel at baseball. But during his sophomore year while sliding into second base he injured his ankle so bad he was forced to give up trying to make the team.
It was a wasted year of his life, Leroy thought. While the other boys wore their letter jackets around the halls of Craterville High, Leroy, much to his despair, showed up wearing his old drab mackinaw.
But Leroy consoled himself by realizing there is always next year. Then too, his spirits were revived when one morning during his daily devotional he read the following Bible verses:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not to your own
understanding
in all your ways acknowledge Him
and he will make your paths straight
Proverbs 3:5-6
Leroy was so impressed by the Bible verses that he wrote them down on a 3 by 5 card and placed it in his wallet next to his mother’s picture.
In Leroy’s junior year he went out for baseball again, but soon learned he couldn’t make the team. He was allowed to practice with the team, but not allowed to suit up for games.
Since his school didn’t have a track or tennis team all of his hopes of earning a letter jacket were gone, Leroy thought. “Do you believe God really answers prayers?” Leroy asked his mother one evening.
“Of course I do,” his mother said. “Why do you ask?”
“I been praying that I could earn a letter jacket playing baseball, but I don’t believe God hears my prayers,” Leroy said.
“Sometimes you have to wait on the Lord,” his mother said. “Sometimes God doesn’t give us everything we desire, but nothing is too big for God, Leroy. So don’t go doubting God? You hear me?” she asked.
“Yeah, sure Mom.”
During the long winter months of Leroy’s senior year he lifted weights in a garage behind his house. After nearly every workout Leroy would ask the same question. “Mother, do you notice any difference in me?”
“Oh yes,” his mother said, always reassuring him. “Your chest is getting bigger. You’re starting to look like a man now.” By the time spring rolled around Leroy had gained 18 pounds of what he thought was solid muscle. He thought of himself as a 128 pound human dynamo when he reported for baseball practice that first day.
But his optimism turned to gloom when he soon realized it was the same old story. He was allowed to practice with the team, but wasn’t allowed to suit up for a game.
Three days later Leroy was ready to throw in the towel and give up his dream of winning a letter jacket, but something happened that afternoon that made him change his mind. After practice as he was changing back into his street clothes his wallet fell out of his pants pocket on to the concrete dressing room floor. When Leroy bent over to pick it up the Bible verses on the 3 by 5 card stared him in the face. He picked the card up and read the verses again
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not to your own
understanding
in all your ways acknowledge him
and he will make your paths straight
Proverbs 3:5-6
Everyday thereafter, Leroy formed the habit of reading the Bible verses on his way out
to the practice field. In the days that followed Leroy quit worrying so much about making the team, but concentrated his energy on having fun and playing the game he loved. Then one day when a player quit the team, Leroy’s fortunes changed. “You can join the team and be our substitute right fielder,” the coach told him.
“Mother, I’ve got some good news today,” Leroy said when he came home that evening. “Guess what? Drum roll please,” Leroy said, dancing around the room. “I’m on the baseball team! I got a uniform. I’m going to play right field.”
“That’s wonderful Leroy. You know life can be so sweet when you put your trust in God,” his mother said as they sit down to have dinner.
“You know something,” Leroy said, sitting opposite his mother. “I’m beginning to think you’re right.”
Although Leroy made the team he didn’t get to play in any of the games until near the end of the season. One day the coach inserted him into the game as a substitute runner and he stole second base. The coach left him in the game to play right field, but when it came his time to bat he promptly struck out leaving two men stranded on base.
The last game of the season Leroy started in right field. He caught a fly ball, made no errors, but struck out in his first two times at bat.In the seventh inning Leroy came to bat again but this time the bases were loaded. He gripped the bat tightly and hoped no one noticed he was scared to death. “Oh Lord, don’t let me strike out again,” he whispered under his breath. Batting left handed he hit the ball off the end of his bat and it sailed over the third basement’s head and rolled all the way to the wall. All three men on base scored and Leroy wound up on third base with a triple.
As Leroy stood on the third base bag he looked up into the stands and realized the hometown crowd were on their feet cheering him. He pulled his cap down so no one could see the tears rolling down his cheeks.
“I hit a triple today,” Leroy told is mother later that night.
“You did.”
“And Mother it seemed like everybody at the ball park was cheering for me.”
His mother smiled at him. “That’s wonderful, Leroy!”
Yeah, Leroy thought. That’s the first time anybody ever cheered for me.
The Craterville baseball team didn’t win enough games to make the playoffs and so their season was over. But one afternoon a week later an award assembly was held in the high school auditorium. “We’re starting our award program by presenting letter jackets to all of our deserving athletes,” the high school principal said. “Will the following students come to the stage when I call your name?”
One by one their names were called and each one was handed a rectangular shaped box and each received applause as they left the stage. Leroy, sitting near the back of the auditorium couldn’t believe it when his name was called. “Leroy Carter, the Principal said. “Is Leroy Carter here?”
Leroy with his heart pounding walked quickly up on the stage for fear he might pass out if he hesitated. When the principal handed the box to Leroy he was so nervous it slipped out of his hands and came apart exposing a brand new red and gold letter Jacket as it hit the floor.
“Why don’t you try it on,” the principal suggested. When Leroy slipped on the letter jacket with the big CV imprinted on it the student body erupted in loud applause and everybody in the auditorium were on their feet.
His mother was checking out a long line of customers when Leroy came walking into the store a short time later wearing his brand new letter jacket..
“Oh my,” his mother exclaimed. “You got a letter jacket. Is that yours?” she asked.
Leroy nodded his head and smiled.
“Oh praise the Lord, praise the Lord,” his mother said while the long line of customers looked on. Soon the customers gathered around Leroy. Even the store manager joined in.
“My son Leroy here got a letter jacket for playing baseball,” his mother said.
“Congratulations,” said the store manager and some of the customers took turns offering their good wishes too.
Leroy knew he would never play any sport in college. But he planned on majoring in journalism and hoped to become a sports writer some day.
That night as he lay in bed admiring his letter jacket that hung on the closet room door he took out the 3 by 5 card and read the Bible verses again.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not to your own
understanding
in all your ways acknowledge him
and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
With a big smile on his face he turned out the light and tried to go to sleep.
