Throwing out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game

My 9-year nephew, Charlie Costa, is a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan. I have fun talking trash with him because I have been a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan since about his age.

A little over one year ago Charlie was diagnosed with a pretty serious brain tumor. The doctors treated it right away, but in the fall of last year they determined they hadn't gotten all of it. At the beginning of this year he went in for another 6 weeks of treatment. This time the doctors think they got all of it, but only time will tell. This last year has been very tough on Charlie, his mother (my sister), and their family. There have been a lot of trips from Springfield, Illinois to St. Louis for treatment.

The hospital that Charlie has been treated at has an affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals. When the opportunity for a patient at the hospital to throw out the first pitch came up, Charlie was the first one everyone thought of. There is no bigger fan than him. He will be throwing out the first pitch when the St. Louis Cardinals play the Washington Nationals on April 6. This is such a huge thrill for him and a nice end to a difficult period in his life. So, if you are watching the baseball game and you see a little kid throwing out the first pitch you know the story behind it.