By Ed Karvoski Jr, Contributing Writer
Southborough – Local author Kirk Westphal has drawn upon seven years of coaching experience with Southborough Little League to write some of the inspirational sports stories in his book “No Ordinary Game: Miraculous Moments in Backyards and Sandlots.” He accepted an invitation to read and sign copies of the book Tuesday, June 16, at 7 p.m. at the Southborough Library.
The book’s final chapter, titled “All In,” tells the story of a nominee for the Eric Green Sportsmanship Award. The award was established in 2012 to memorialize Eric, a Southborough Little League player who passed away that year at age 12 of an undiagnosed heart condition. Westphal feels it’s particularly meaningful to share the story at Eric’s hometown library.
“Eric’s name is well known in town because there have been ceremonies for him after he passed away,” he noted. “And it’s nice to do anything to commemorate him for his character and the example of sportsmanship that he set.”
While serving as a Southborough Little League board member for two years, Westphal supervised tryouts and met an 11-year-old boy who was nominated for the sportsmanship award.
“He had taken two years off from playing baseball and all other sports and activities,” he explained. “The reason was that his grandfather had been in the hospital, dying, and he wanted to spend every weekend with him while he was living his last year or two on earth. The boy was now concerned about getting back into sports and being behind his peers.”
Westphal’s story chronicles the boy’s struggles and successes, which demonstrated perseverance and good sportsmanship.
“We emphasize with our coaches that success can be measured in so many different ways,” he said. “Of
course, kids all love to keep track of records and standings. We, as coaches, try to deemphasize that and encourage them to get through their successes and failures in each game and learn from them. Sportsmanship is the mantra of every coach I know and have worked with in town. So it’s really nice to have an award that specifically singles out a player who has exhibited that character throughout the season.”
In another of the book’s chapters, Westphal writes about his experience of awarding the game ball to a deserving player.
“It’s an example of the philosophy that the coaches in town have embraced,” he said. “We really try to instill in the kids that sense of respect to self, the teammates and opponents. That’s what we try to reward more than anything else.”
Eric’s mother, Suzy Green, feels consoled that the sportsmanship award and book are ways for the community to remember her son.
“It helps us feel like his spirit carries on through the community and continues to have a positive impact on other children,” she said. “It certainly makes me very proud that his sportsmanship was recognized.”
She noted that before games Eric would happily volunteer to read the Little League Pledge: “I trust in God. I love my country and will respect its laws. I will play fair and strive to win. But win or lose, I will always do my best.”
When the third annual sportsmanship award was presented last year at the Mary E. Finn School’s Mooney Field, the ceremony included the unveiling of a sign that states the pledge in memory of Eric.
Green is looking forward to attending the book reading at the library.
“It’s very appropriate that Kirk is doing a reading in Southborough because the town is featured in some of the book’s chapters,” she noted.
“No Ordinary Game” is published by Down East Books, an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield.