In August 2023, just weeks after Willson returned from a hand injury, he received a small letter from a 9-year-old boy named Tommy who was in the St. Louis Children’s Medical Center.
The letter was scribbled in pencil, just a few lines:
“I have leukemia. You are my favorite person because you never give up. I’m not afraid to die, but I want to see you catch one more ball.”
Willson cried when he read the last line. He called the letter “the most emotional homerun of my life.”
“If you make it to Busch Stadium, I’ll throw the first pitch to you.”
Three days later, Willson quietly organized a meeting at Busch Stadium. With the support of the club and the hospital, Tommy – in a medical suit, was brought to the field, meeting his idol for a brief but meaningful moment.
Willson knelt down, took off his glove, placed it on the boy’s hand, and said,
“You’re a lot stronger than I am. But if you promise to keep fighting, then I’ll hit for you next time.”
And then there was the homerun that wasn’t for the scoreboard
In the next game, Willson hit a homerun in the seventh inning. After he reached home plate, he pointed to the stands—where Tommy’s white jersey was still visible in the crowd—and held up a glove that read “For T.”
No one asked him what it meant. But after the game, Willson shared with the camera:
“It’s not about winning or losing. Today, I just want a little boy to smile… and live another day.”
When baseball is more than just a sport
Coach Oliver Marmol said in the press conference:
“We’re not just athletes. We’re people who love. And Willson is one of those people.”
Tommy was treated with intensive care and continued to attend every Cardinals game. In his hospital room, he kept the glove Willson gave him as a talisman.
The ballpark – where small miracles still exist
You can go to the ballpark to cheer, to eat hot dogs, to shout for victory. But for people like Tommy, baseball is the only thing that pulls them out of the shadow of their illness.
And for players like Willson Contreras – every swing is not just a victory for the home team, but also a hope for someone who is fighting every hour in silence.
“Sometimes you don’t have to make history. You just have to make someone smile – and that’s enough.”
— Willson Contreras.