The ball from Anthony Alford‘s first major-league hit has already found a permanent home.
The 22-year-old Toronto Blue Jays outfielder, who was called up from double-A on Friday, recorded his first career hit in the top of the seventh against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night. The ball from the pinch-hit standup double will have a special place in his mother’s new home.
Alford’s family home in Columbia, Miss., burned down in a fire on Dec. 28, 2016. Fortunately no one was hurt in the blaze, but nearly everything was lost, including memorabilia from throughout Alford’s career to that point.
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I think that’s what my dad was most sad about. It wasn’t necessarily the clothes or furniture. He can get that back. But the awards that I won were something they really valued. So he was really sad and emotional about that. The things that meant the most to my parents were the state championship rings (from Petal High School), my Gatorade Player of the Year trophies and the jerseys I gave them, my Toronto Blue Jays jersey and my Ole Miss jersey.
[cite]- Anthony Alford to Toronto Sun[/cite]
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Nothing can replace what was lost in that December fire, but after Tuesday night’s milestone Alford’s mother has the beginnings of a new collection of great memories.
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