Nationals' Eaton Gives Bat to Hometown Fans
No matter where life takes them, athletes often have undying connections to their hometowns. Adam Eaton is no exception.
Eaton – a Springfield, Ohio native – is not only a 2019 World Series champion who plays for the Washington Nationals, but is also a happy patron of the Half Day Cafe in nearby Urbana.
However, Adam is not the only Eaton who’s been eatin’ at the cafe. Adam’s parents, Glen and Robin Eaton, dine at the cafe about once a month. Over time, Glen and Robin befriended the owner of the Half Day Cafe, Keith Hardwick.
The Eatons grew close with Hardwick and his family and blessed Keith and his son, Drew, with stadium passes to a Nationals game in Cleveland. After the game, Keith and Drew were able to meet Adam and were immediately blown away by his kindness and character. “Adam is super nice and down to earth; you’d never know he’s a baseball player.” said Keith.
On July 16, Adam Eaton extended a simple act of kindness that meant the world to the Hardwicks. He sent his parents one of his game-used bats to give to Drew and his younger brother, Owen. Glen and Robin excitedly entered the café and gave the bat to an overjoyed Drew. “It was super exciting, especially since we weren’t expecting it at all. They come in the restaurant quite often, and you really don’t expect something that special just to be given to you. We’ve been fans of Adam for a while now, and are baseball fanatics at heart, so this really meant the world to my dad and me,” said Drew.
“[Drew and Owen] definitely look up to (Adam Eaton). It’s awesome that he thinks about them and gifted them something he used. It’s not every day that someone gets a major league bat,” added Keith.
A plethora of customers have come through the doors of the Half Day Café, but Keith can still remember Adam’s exact order from the first time he visited: “A chicken-bacon-ranch sandwich with fries,” Keith recalled without a doubt. The entire encounter is something the Hardwicks won’t soon forget.
“It’s great to see kindness in this world; it’s refreshing. Just being a blessing to people … that’s what it’s about.” said Keith.
Adam Eaton’s bat was definitely a “hit” to the Hardwicks, but his gift of friendship was the true home run.
This special edition of the TrueSports Blog was written by my younger brother, Joshua (@iggy_spinner), for the local newspaper, the Urbana Daily Citizen. Next week, Legendary Lineups continues with the best players from the 1990s. Make sure to follow TrueSports on Twitter and Instagram, (@TrueSports_Pod), to stay up to date with the latest news regarding the show and blog.