Texas honors 6-year-old whose dad fell to death at Rangers Ballpark
ARLINGTON, Texas — With fans on their feet, many with tears in their eyes, 6-year-old Cooper Stone stood on the pitcher’s mound and tossed the ceremonial first pitch of the playoffs Friday night to his favorite player, Josh Hamilton.
Cooper is the boy who saw his firefighter father fall to his death while trying to catch a ball thrown to him by Hamilton during a Texas game July 7. This was his first trip back to Rangers Ballpark, and it came on center stage, with his widowed mother, Jenny, and Rangers president Nolan Ryan by his side.
Wearing a Rangers jersey featuring Hamilton’s No. 32, and “Cooper” between the shoulders, the boy threw the ball on a line to Hamilton, who was standing about halfway to home plate. The outfielder — who has been through his share of personal struggles — pumped his fist, then jogged to the front of the mound and embraced the boy, then his mother.
Jenny Stone appeared to thank Hamilton while trying to keep her emotions under control. They spoke for about a minute, then hugged again. Hamilton gave Cooper another hug, too, then started heading to the dugout, only to realize he still had the ball. So Hamilton reached back and gave it to Cooper, then jogged off.
A security guard met Cooper as he reached the dirt in front of the dugout and gave him a fist bump. Nelson Cruz was the first of many Rangers waiting at the steps of the dugout to slap hands with the boy. His mother wiped tears as she walked away with Ryan.
“They have turned a difficult return to The Ballpark into a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Cooper,” Jenny Stone said in a statement issued by the team. “Nothing could be more exciting for a boy than throwing out the first pitch to his favorite player. We are glad and grateful to be here to see the Rangers start their march to the World Series.”
Cooper, his mom and six more in their group sat in front-row seats one section closer to home plate than Ryan. When Hamilton singled in his first at-bat, Cooper jumped up and down, twirling a red towel.
“We’re just honored that they were willing to come out and do that and share the day with us,” Ryan said.
Shannon Stone was reaching for the ball thrown by Hamilton when he fell headfirst about 20 feet, landing on concrete behind the outfield wall. Cooper was his only child, and the two were extremely close, with the nearly 3-hour drive from their home in Brownwood to Rangers games among their favorite activities together.
The Rangers recently announced plans to build a statue of Shannon and Cooper Stone outside the home-plate entrance as a tribute to them, and to all fans. The team hopes to unveil it by opening day next season. The club also is planning to raise the railing throughout the stadium.