HeartPrintAlert
~`Humans leave footprints, angels leave HeartPrints by performing “Open Heart Service”
Denver, Colorado
July 8, 2007
Colorado Rockies baseball groundskeeper Keros Johnson was trapped in the middle of an out-of-
control tarp.
When he finally crawled out, the wide-eyed Johnson was greeted by a sight he didn’t expect –
baseball player Shane Victorino and other players attempting to get the tarp under control.
Victorino helped wrangle with the tarp before a rain delay and then hit a two-run homer after the break
in Philadelphia’s 8-4 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
Talk about good karma.
“That’s not why you do things,” Victorino said. “I felt like we needed to help, just in case.”
Most of the Phillies bench emptied onto the field during the seventh-inning delay, rescuing members of
Colorado’s grounds crew from underneath the whipping tarp. A strong burst of wind caught hold of it as
the crew tried to roll it over the infield.
Victorino grabbed a corner, dug in his feet and pulled it as hard as he could toward left field. Ryan
Howard held a section down with a knee. Michael Bourn started heaving sand bags onto the tarp to
weigh it down.
Even plate umpire Bill Welke and crew chief John Hirschbeck were out there trying to keep the tarp
from flying away again.
“One guy flew 10 feet in the air,” said Adam Eaton, who also pitched in. “We were just hoping they’re
not hurt. They all thanked us. You hear stories about people getting hurt.”
Head groundskeeper Mark Razum had never seen anything like the wind gust in 29 years.
“The wind was so strong, we couldn’t hold it,” Razum said. “When it draped over the guys, I was
worried that somebody might suffocate. It was really cool the Phillies came out and gave us a hand.”
They didn’t give it a second thought.
“At the time, we weren’t thinking [injury],” Victorino said. “I don’t want someone to get suffocated or that
tarp to trap somebody.”
The lone Rockies player to help out was LaTroy Hawkins. The rest were already back in the clubhouse.
“I’ve been on tarp duty in college and it can whip around, yank you around, your shoulders and stuff,”
Jamey Carroll said. “They were helpful and hats off to them for it. After the fact, you think what could
have happened to one of the guys … you’re risking a lot.”
To manager Charlie Manuel, it was worth the risk. “I want my players to be tough,” he said.
And where was he as the tarp went haywire? “Sitting on the bench,” Manuel said.
“I’m a manager. I’m no dummy. They were having fun, running around like little kids.”
“It’s not an easy job, not with that wind kicking,” Eaton said.
Johnson won’t soon forget his experience underneath the tarp.
“There’s not much air and it’s dark,” Johnson said. “It was a little freaky.”
~`HeartPrintNotes!
Source: ESPN
