In the 1989 film Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner and Ray Liotta, a son connects with his father’s memory through baseball. For many, baseball is a link to the past, a way to access fond memoirs and to build new ones. It is a common thread between the diverse parts of America. 

Baseball is more than a sport. It is strategy, patience, and teamwork, and mirrors many of the struggles we may face in everyday life. It is part of the fabric of America, its myths and legends are passed between generations. In the days after 9/11, baseball helped heal a nation and provided a much-needed diversion in the aftermath of the horrible events in Manhattan, Washington, and Pennsylvania.  

CCA’s Dr. Lance Sullenberger plays catch with Don Kirk in memory of his son, Jonathan.

In essence, baseball is what we need it to be. 

For one father, it is a way to keep his son’s memory alive, allowing him to connect with family, friends, and new people, and tell them about what an amazing person he was. It’s called Jonathan Catch. Donald Kirk’s son passed away at 35 after a heart transplant. The pain of losing a child never goes away, but playing catch in honor of his son’s memory is a way for Don to feel closer to him. The idea came from the book A Year of Playing Catch: What a Simple Daily Experiment Taught Me about Life by Ethan D. Bryan. The author, an avid baseball fan, plays catch every day for a year, in an attempt to discover the lessons he learned about the sacredness of play, finding connections, and being fully present to the human experience. After discovering the book, Don embarked on his own quest to play catch with different people, once a day, to honor his son, and to learn his own lessons. The sessions last for about ten minutes and if someone doesn’t have a glove, they can use Jonathan’s. After the catch, Don asks for an autographed ball as a memento. 

When asked about how he plans the sessions and their meaning Don says: “I wake up every morning looking forward to these catch sessions, whether it’s 5 minutes or 35 minutes. Some days I have it planned and I know exactly who I am playing catch with and others, sometimes, I meet people along my daily route. Either way, talking about Jonathan and sharing memories has helped me, and others. It has allowed me to share my grief and empathize with others who have had similar experiences. It most definitely brings back nostalgic memories for everyone who plays. I am lucky to have had Jonathan for 35 years and this act of playing catch keeps him close to my heart.”

Recently, CCA’s Dr. Lance Sullenberger had the chance to play catch with Don. The session left a lasting impression on him, as it most certainly does with all who participate.

As Yogi Berra so eloquently stated, “Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.”

The Kirk family has partnered with the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region to manage the Jonathan D. Kirk Foundation to award grants to nonprofit organizations that support individuals and families that are dealing with life-threatening medical conditions. Examples of organizations that will receive support from the fund are Ronald McDonald House Charities, the American Heart Association, and Albany Medical Center.

You can contribute to Don’s efforts to help those faced with similar, overwhelming health crises by supporting the Jonathan D. Kirk Foundation of The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region

Make checks payable to The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region or CFGCR, with the“Jonathan D. Kirk Foundation” written on the memo line, and send to:

The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region
Two Tower Place
Albany, NY 12203

You can visit https://www.cfgcr.org/ for additional ways to donate. 

Written by John Bulmer,
Public Information Officer, Capital Cardiology Associates.