A Game Ball for Frank: A Journey of Respect, Gratitude, and Redemption by Jamie King

Author:Jamie King [King, Jamie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kokorozashi Press
Published: 2016-12-13T00:00:00+00:00

Mark Moseley and Jamie on the field.

We had a tremendous fan following, and our games became the place to be on Saturday nights in Fredericksburg. Led by a 47-year-old former NFL legend Mark Moseley, it was not just a football game; it was a show. We had music and food and the fans really got into it, dancing in the stands and rocking to the music. Fans never left saying they didn’t get their money’s worth, as it was a happening event every week.

We scored so many points, on some nights, that I thought the light bulbs may blow out on the Maury Stadium scoreboard.

A Frank Conclusion to a Championship Season

During the season my mom, accompanied surprisingly by Frank, would sit in her little red car on the far side of the field and watch. Frank was very ill with cancer, but even though he was too weak to sit in the bleachers they had a good vantage point of the game. Mom would always honk the horn and flash her lights every time the Generals scored or had a big play.

I was sensing that Frank was nearing the end. He had lost a lot of weight. He was gaunt and in constant pain. He coughed up blood on occasion and he could not get comfortable anywhere. I know he was there primarily for Mom, but I felt with the media attention we were getting that he was beginning to be proud of what I was doing, though he never told me.

Each week they would sit and watch as he was deteriorating. I sensed the end was drawing near for him, and I found that I wanted to do something for him, to make peace with him. Despite the beatings and all of the abuse, I still respected him for putting a roof over my Mom’s head and my brother’s head. I had hated him with every fiber of my being for so many years, and I got to the point that in my late 20s that I decided I could either choose to live a life of hate, or forgive and be a bigger person. Please notice I said forgive, because there would be no forgetting what he had done.

We were preparing to play our final playoff game at home, looking to conclude our magical run at a perfect season to go (13-0). We were home against the Hampton Roads Sharks, which was considered one of the better teams in all of Minor League football. We knew we were the far superior team, but we had to execute and handle our business. We felt that we were ready to end the playoff by winning a championship in grand fashion.

I told the team and coaches that Frank was in poor health, and I asked for a game ball from our last playoff game as a gesture of thanks to him for coming out and supporting us. I asked Mark Moseley, who Frank respected as a player, to make the presentation.

Amid

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