Carson Teel finishes warming up on the mound he always dreamed of pitching on. He wanders behind it, pulls the glove off his right hand and removes his hat. Bent at the waist, he uses his right index finger to scribble three letters in the dirt.
They’re a reminder there is more to life than baseball, the game Carson has always loved. They’re a reminder to have fun, something he does so well. They’re a reminder this is his first season without his storyteller, his racing rival and his mentor.
Carson writes “GPA” in the mound, shorthand to keep his grandpa, Travis, on his mind.