When approached by The Hall last year to write about someone for the “HOVG Heroes” project, I chose Nick Adenhart, the young Los Angeles Angels pitcher who was killed by a drunk driver four years ago this week.
Unfortunately, I’m writing again about a special member to baseball's big family that lost their life before they should have. Friend and fellow ballhawk Matt Hersl worked outside Baltimore City Hall and on Tuesday, a car traveling 100 miles per hour lost control, flipped over, hitting and killing Matt who had is back to the street.
Matt had a special love for the Orioles, the game of baseball and baseballs. A game did not pass without Matt giving everything he had in the left field seats in pursuit of batting practice baseballs.
On top of the ones he would catch, he also would trade just about anything for a few extra. Needed an extra promotional giveaway from that day's game? He had one if you had some baseballs. Hungry? Matt delivered and only charged three baseballs. Even you didn't have any baseballs, I think he would still do it for you.
Here's to Matt. I hope there's batting practice up there.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim Anderson is a student at Towson University and a mainstay at Camden Yards. You can read more about his fellow ballhawk Matt Hersl over at Eutaw Street Report.
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