WEBSTER, N.Y. — Dave Tinnes embarked on a unique journey on March 1, 2023, aiming to play catch with someone new every day for a year. This experiment ended in 2024, and Tinnes has now finished his book documenting his experiences.
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“Catch one, day one, Benjamin,” Tinnes said, referring to his son as the first partner in his catch journey.
“Baseball is our primary vehicle for connecting, talking about life, hard issues, baseball, our beloved Mets, and so much more,” said Tinnes.
Tinnes’ journey quickly expanded beyond his initial expectations, leading to meaningful connections with various individuals, including Major League Baseball player Ernie Clement.
“What was it like when you got drafted? What was it like when you hit your first major league home run? All the baseball questions,” Tinnes said about his conversation with Clement.
Tinnes with Ernie ClementTinnes discovered Clement’s emotional side during their interaction.
“He talks about playing catch with his dad, two weeks prior to me playing catch with him, up in the Adirondacks, and he just started crying,” Tinnes said. “It was in that moment, he said, I was just overcome with gratitude.”
Throughout the 366 days, Tinnes engaged in emotional conversations, including one with a friend named Dan, who was in a dark place.
“He said, I really want to get together with you. I’m in a dark place,” Tinnes said. “Once we caught up with five minutes of hey, what’s going on, what’s your family up to… the conversation turned to about an hour and a half conversation of him telling me about his sister who died of a drug overdose.”
So playing catch with a friend turned into being there for a brother and learning that it was way more than the motion of throwing a ball.
“He actually said to me, I’m not making this up, he actually said, I’ve always believed in the power of catch therapy,” Tinnes said.
Not all moments were serious, as Tinnes recalled a lighthearted memory with his friend Chris in a barn.
“A wasp or something fell on the ground and we looked up and there was this big wasps nest,” Tinnes said.
They thought they took care of the problem until they snapped their selfie to document the catch.
“I felt something on my leg and I looked down and I was like ahhh,” Tinnes said. “There was a yellow jacket on my ankle and I totally freaked out and so the picture was just us laughing.”
The journey came full circle on day 366 with Tinnes playing catch with his son Benjamin again.
“Catch 557, Day 366, Benjamin,” Tinnes said.
Reflecting on the year, Tinnes expressed a mix of emotions and gratitude.
“I try to recount today’s 8th previous games and who they were with, but my mind is swimming, wavering between facts and emotions,” Tinnes said. “I did it! I completed an entire year of playing catch.”
But as Tinnes looked back on his heart to heart with Ernie, the catch therapy needed for Dan, and the laughs shared with Chris, another idea formed.
“And I take one last look at the baseball I just set on the porch table,” Tinnes said. “I smile, give thanks to God, and suddenly understand, today’s ninth game of catch wasn’t the last of my journey. This beautiful game is simply going into extra innings.”
RELATED: Have a catch! Dave Tinnes uses baseball to inspire
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