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Heartwarming father-son reunion at Cougars game

The Kane County Cougars helped welcome home a special hero Friday night Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva.

Air Force Technical Sgt. Joe Amore surprised his son, Anthony, by catching Anthony's ceremonial first pitch.

Joe, with the help of the Cougars, was dressed in a Cougars uniform and catcher's gear. After catching Anthony's pitch, he removed his mask to reveal his identity to his son.

They walked toward each other, teary-eyed, and embraced, with Joe lifting him into the air for a second hug. It was then that Anthony, who seemed shocked, finally broke into a smile. Just minutes earlier, Joe had received a phone call from an upset Anthony, who was getting cold feet to take the pitcher's mound.

Joe gave him a kind, fatherly pep talk and told him to put on the Cougars jersey they had made for him with their last name on it. Then Shawn Touney, director of public relations for the organization, played catch on the field with Anthony to help him with his jitters.

"I was impressed with his throw. He threw a strike. And then I tried to take everything off so he'd recognize me," Joe Amore said. "I was worried at first, but he came right up to me. It was so good to see him after all that time. Unbelievable. Unbelievable."

The Amore family and friends were also on hand and guests of the Cougars for the game.

Joe returned this week from a six-month tour in Kuwait. A 1997 graduate of Geneva High School, Joe has been in the Air Force for the past 15 years. He has also served in Bosnia on a United Nations peace-keepting mission and was stationed for five years at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany.

In addition to the first pitch and catch, Joe was recognized on the field during one of the between-innings breaks on Friday evening as the Cougars' Hometown Hero of the game.

  Air Force Technical Sgt. Joe Amore of Geneva and his son, Anthony, 8, pose with Ozzie Cougar, left, and Arizona Diamondbacks mascot Bandit at Friday's game in Geneva. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Air Force Technical Sgt. Joe Amore of Geneva and his son, Anthony, 8, head to the dugout after the ceremonial first pitch Friday at the Kane County Cougars game Friday. With the help of the Cougars, Amore was outfitted in a uniform and gear to catch Anthony's pitch. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Air Force Technical Sgt. Joe Amore of Geneva gets ready to surprise his son, Anthony, 8, by catching his ceremonial first pitch before the Cougars game Friday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
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