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Jared Wickerham

It's not just about the fastest, highest and strongest in Beijing. Or the biggest of the Little in Williamsport. Or the first of the names called in a fantasy draft. It's sometimes about Marta Mamani, a young lady from Bolivia who both works and plays at the La Paz Golf Club, the world's highest golf course. Sports is about the pleasure of playing a game, wherever, whatever, whomever.

So shame on those who take away that joy. If you watch Outside the Lines on ESPN or read it on espn.com, you may have encountered the story of the Wilson (N.Y.) High School baseball team, which looks to have taken hazing to a vicious, despicable level. Lose sight of why we play, and a game can go horribly wrong.

Then again, it can go wonderfully right. A world away, but only 236 miles from Wilson, is Freedom Area (Penn.) High School. John Challis died on Aug. 19, but if you saw his story on ESPN you know he was a baseball player who suffered from cancer and wanted just one at-bat. When he got it, he singled in a run.

As word of his inspirational message (Courage + Belief = Life) spread, superstars like Mario Lemieux and A-Rod made John their personal guest. The Pirates named him honorary manager for their June 25 game against the Yankees. He gave them a little speech then wrote this on the team's dry-erase board: "Have fun—the reason why we play ball."

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