But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he' d get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice or a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.
When the young man went to collage, he decided to try out for the football team as a walk-on. Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his heart and soul into every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit.
The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.
It was the end of the senior football season, and as he trotted on to the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram and he became deathly silent.
Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?"
The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take me rest of the week off, son. And don' t even plan to come to the game on Saturday."
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon.
"Coach, please let me play. I' ve just got to play today." said the young man.
The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in.
"All right, " he said. "You can go in."
Before long, the coach, the players, and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, passed, blocked, and tackled like a star. The score was soon tied.
In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders.
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone.
The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can' t believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?"
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you know my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"
前撑竿跳高冠军鲍勃·理查德讲了一个关于一个小男孩的感人故事，这个小男孩钟情于踢足球。他不停地练习着，为足球热心地奉献着自己的全部。但是，他的个头比别的男孩矮一半，以至于他绝对参加不了比赛。在所有的足球比赛中，这个充满希望的足球运动员只能坐在长椅上，几乎不曾参加过任何一场比赛。小男孩与父亲一起生活，两人相依为命，有着十分特殊的感情。尽管儿子总是坐在长椅上，父亲还总会在看台上为儿子欢呼，从未有一场缺席。
上高中了，小男孩依然是班上个子最小的一个。可是父亲不仅继续鼓励他踢球，而且向儿子表示说，如果他不想再踢球的话，就不用再踢了。
但是，年轻人热爱足球，他决定要继续踢下去。他下定决心，在每次训练中都要尽力表现得最好，这样的话，当他升入高三的时候也许还有机会参加比赛。整个中学生涯，年轻人从未错过一次训练或一场比赛，但在这四年里，他一直都是坐在长椅上的热心球员。而他忠诚的父亲，也一直站在看台上，鼓励着他。
当他进入大学后，年轻人决定试着在校足球队里跑龙套。每个人都相信，他永远都不会被留下，可是他留下来了。教练承认，之所以把他留在队里，是因为这个年轻人总能全身心地投入到每次的训练之中，并且教练想用这种精神感染他的队友。
被留下的消息令年轻人欢欣鼓舞，于是他跑去最近的电话亭给父亲打了电话。父亲也很开心，订购了大学比赛的所有季票。大学四年里，执著的年轻运动员从未错过一次训练，但是依旧从未参加过一场比赛。
大四足球季赛到了，在盛大的最后决赛开始前不久，当年轻人小跑着来到训练场时，教练递给他一封电报。看过之后，年轻人变得死一般沉默。
他哽咽着对教练说：“我父亲今天早上去世了。 我今天不参加训练了，可以吗？”
教练轻轻地搂住他的肩膀说：“这个星期剩余的几天你就请假休息一下吧，孩子。也可以不赶来周六的比赛现场。”
星期六到了，校队的比赛进行得并不顺利。在比赛的第三节中，当校队落后10分时，有一个沉默的年轻人静静地溜进空荡荡的换衣间，穿上自己的队服。当他跑上球场边界线时，教练和队友们都看到他们这位忠实的队友回来了。他回来得如此之快，令所有人都很吃惊。
“教练，请让我上场吧。我今天必须要参赛。”年轻人说。
教练装做没有听到他的话。在这场比分相差不大的决赛中，让他选择自己最差的球员上场是根本不可能的事。可是，年轻人一再请求，最后，教练出于同情作出了让步。
教练说：“那好吧，你上场吧。”
年轻人上场不久，他的教练、队友和看台上的每一个人都不敢相信自己的眼睛。这位小个子的、鲜为人知的队员，从没参加过比赛，却做得如此到位。对方的球员都阻止不了他。他奔跑、传球、拦挡、擒抱，就像一位足球明星一样。两队的比分很快平。
比赛结束前的数秒钟内，年轻人拦截住对方的一次传球，带球直攻对方球门，持球触地获胜。球迷们沸腾了，队友们兴奋地把他举到肩上。
最后，当观众散尽，队员们都洗完澡离开换衣间后，教练注意到这个年轻人正独自一人静静地坐在角落里。
教练走过去，对他说：“小伙子，我真无法相信。你太棒了！告诉我，你是怎么回事？你是如何做到的？”
他看着教练，双眼含着泪水说道：“尽管你知道我爸爸去世了，但是你知道他是个盲人吗？”他哽咽着，勉强冲我挤出一丝微笑，“我的所有比赛，爸爸都来过。但是今天，是他第一次看着我踢球，我希望让他看到，我踢得很好。”
那份爱，让我永生难忘
A Dad Who Truly Cares
里克·赖利 / Rick Reilly
I try to be a good father. Give my kids gifts. Take them to swim. Work nights to pay for their text messaging...
But compared with Dick Hoyt, I' am lousy. Eighty-five times he' s pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he' s not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on bicycle handlebars—all in the same day. Dick' s also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?
And what has Rick done for his father? Not much—except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester, Mass. 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs. "He' ll be a vegetable the rest of his life, " Dick says doctors told him and his wife when Rick was nine months old. "Put him in an institution."
