If you have ever been to a baseball game at Loyola Marymount University in the past few years, there’s a good chance you saw Jack Steinberg there and witnessed kindness in action.
That is the message of a recent College Baseball Daily column about Jack, his love of LMU baseball and how it has improved his health and wellbeing.
Jack, who is 13 years old, was born with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, an eye condition described as “holes in the vision.” He also has an orthopedic impairment that makes walking and standing challenging. None of which has stopped him from supporting the Lions and coming to almost every game and practice, according to the column by Brian Foley, editor and founder of College Baseball Daily.
Ivey Steinberg, Jack’s mother, says she was initially wary about bringing a 4-year-old to a baseball practice.
“We live close enough to the ballpark that we can hear when practice is going on,” says Ivey. “I knew Jack was a huge sports fan, so we headed over.”
However, the players welcomed the Steinbergs and immediately took a liking to Jack, according to former Lion Justin Bunkis ’08.
“With Jack in the stands, it reminded us that we play baseball because we love it,” says Bunkis. “To have people who were really excited to see us play took the pressure off.”
Former head coach Frank Cruz started a tradition of having his players introduce themselves to Jack. The tradition continues today with head coach Jason Gill, as each year freshman and transfer players meet Jack at the first scrimmage of the season.
“It’s a special relationship the guys have with Jack,” says Gill. “It provides some perspective about how he sees the game, versus how we see it. I think, in a way, it motivates the players to do better for Jack.”
In fact, watching the Lions has made Jack stronger and more healthy.
“He was so riveted by these practices,” Ivey says of her son whose weakness prevented him from being able stand up straight. “He would stand for nine innings. He would stand for a doubleheader. It was remarkable. Coming to the practices became a physical therapy we hadn’t expected.”
Additionally, Jack’s eyesight improved from 20/200 to a perfect 20/20 in one eye after the many hours of watching LMU baseball practices, according to Ivey.
Coach Gill says welcoming Jack to practices and games is all part of being at a Jesuit university.
“Service and kindness are central,” he says, “and everyone here at LMU is conscious of that.”
This column by Brian Daley was edited for length and clarity. Read the original, complete column at College Baseball Daily.