There will surely be tough days ahead for the Salado senior as he grieves the death of his father, Cary, who passed away Monday.
But Ward wouldn’t let Saturday’s Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 3A-and-under All-Star Game at Dell Diamond be one of those days.
Saturday was a day to smile.
“I wanted to play this game for him,” Ward said. “Just to be out here doing what I love, I know he’s up there watching me and enjoying every minute of it.”
Not suiting up and playing in right field for the South All-Stars was never really an option. Seeing his oldest son grow up playing sports was something that made Cary happiest.
So Ward put on his red Salado uniform for the final time and played with one man in mind.
“To get out of the house and get out here and play baseball and get my mind off it a little bit was a great time,” he said.
As one last tribute, Ward carefully wrote out “DAD 09-18-62 06-15-09” on a piece of tape and wrapped it around his wrist. Every so often, Ward caught himself peeking at the handmade memorial.
“I put it on there to remind me everytime I look down that he’s up there watching us,” he said.
Saturday also gave Ward the chance to play alongside longtime friend Cameron Doskocil of Rogers. They’ve known each other since they started playing baseball together as youngsters, then spent the last several years facing off against each other at district rival high schools.
For as well as he knows Ward, Doskocil was still amazed by how his good friend had handled a tough situation.
“I can’t imagine . . . I know how much his dad meant to him,” said Doskocil, who struck out and flied out to center in his two at-bats. “I’m proud of him for fighting through it and playing as well as he did today.”
Ward nearly walked away the hero, driving in the go-ahead run to break a 3-all tie in the seventh inning with a single to left field for his only hit. The North All-Stars responded with five unanswered runs in the eighth and ninth for an 8-4 win.
The first trip back to Dell Diamond, where Ward won the Class 2A state championship last year with the Eagles, was certainly bittersweet.
“It brings back a lot of good memories and a lot of fun times,” Ward said. “Not being able to play with my Salado teammates is a bummer but being able to play with the 20, 40 best players in Texas isn’t that bad, either.”
As much as Saturday was about paying tribute to his father, so is the future.
Ward plans to attend Baylor, where Cary played football from 1981-86, on an academic scholarship and hopes to walk on to the Bears’ baseball team.
But until then, he’ll keep playing the game his father taught him. It’s just another way to remember, another reason to keep smiling.
“There’s nothing to be sad about,” Ward said, “because he’s just been such a great man."
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
