A Bucket of Baseballs & A Couple of Blue Collar Good Samaritans

I don't know about you, but I can always use a feel-good story these days. Something to restore your faith in humanity. We're so lucky to live where we live. We witness generosity and kindness not just in moments of tragedy, but in small everyday actions.

Recently, local photographer and sports mama, Jacy English, shared a story that brought tears to my eyes! About a bucket of baseballs and a couple of blue-collar Good Samaritans. Jacy shared, "This morning, I was driving down Parrish Avenue, minding my own business, when a white truck pulled up beside me. Two men inside started waving for me to roll my window down. I had no idea what was going on…until they handed me a bucket of baseballs."

She had just pulled out of the Frederica CVS parking lot, going left towards Hucks. "Apparently, somewhere back up the road, my tailgate had fallen open, and the entire bucket had bounced out. The lid flew off, and all the baseballs scattered all over Parrish Avenue… and I was completely unaware. But these two men? They noticed."

Jacy continued, "In 25° weather, they pulled over, got out of their truck, and spent their time chasing baseballs rolling across the road. They gathered every last one, caught back up to me in traffic, and returned them without expecting a single thing in return.
They didn’t have to do that. Most people wouldn’t have. But they did."

There was fresh white snow covering the ground, so I can only imagine how that made their search even harder. "They literally pulled their truck up next to mine at a red light and hung the bucket out of the window for me. They told me my tailgate was down and assured me they got all the balls."

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She has no idea who they were or who they work for. It all happened so fast. "They were clearly in a work truck, but I didn’t see any logos or business name on it. I wish I did, I’d love to thank them. Do you have any idea how expensive a bucket of baseballs is?" she laughed.

I honestly didn't, but once she shared this screenshot with me, I understood what a good deed this really was! Jacy's husband coaches a 9u baseball team, and their three kids play all the sports, so she told me that their truck and garage are loaded down with all kinds of equipment all the time. "It looks like a sporting goods store on any given day."

At the end of Jacy's post on social media, she said it perfectly, "Today was a reminder that kind people still exist, that small moments of selflessness can make a big impact, and that the world is still full of folks willing to help a stranger on a cold morning. To those two men in the white truck: Thank you. You made my whole day."

If you think you know who those men are, could you let us know? I would bet $185 they did not do this for recognition or reward, but they deserve some love for inspiring all of us to do our part when we see a need. Whether it's collecting baseballs on the loose, donating canned goods to the local food bank, or just holding the door open for someone and smiling, it all matters. You never know how much it will mean to someone. Thanks for the reminder, fellas.