Canzano: Mother's Day... and it's your turn

Tell me about your mom.

My mother, at New York Mets spring training, in Florida.

I slept in a dresser drawer of an extended-stay motel for the first few months of my life. My mom reminds me of that sometimes. Whenever I check into a hotel, I look at the dresser drawers and shake my head at the absurdity of it.

My father was a professional baseball player, playing shortstop for seven seasons in the New York Mets minor league system. Mom and Dad owned a red Volkswagen bus, and they drove it all around the footprint of his baseball career.

Mom rooted for the Greenville Mets in South Carolina. Then, the Tri-City Atoms in Kennewick, Wash. Then, her favorite team became the Durham Bulls, followed by a promotion to the Memphis Blues, Tidewater Tides, and Winnipeg Whips.

Dad made Triple-A.

He and Mom were always big leaguers to us kids.

Today’s column isn’t about my mom. It’s about yours. I wrote about mine four years ago in a column. If you want to revisit that piece, have at it. But whenever I write these heartfelt holiday columns, I’m struck by the comment section and all the stories that pour in about the personal experiences of readers.

I was at the Portland State spring football game on Saturday. I had a long-time Vikings donor stop me on the field. He said, “Keep writing those human interest stories. They’re my favorites. Anyone can write about the games.”

My beat has always been humanity. I’m a sportswriter in disguise. I love back-channeling with sources and bringing you in-depth, sourced columns that you can’t get anywhere else. I relish breaking news and the vibe of a big-game moment. But it always comes back to people. It’s probably why I created a tab on this website dedicated to the “Human Interest” genre.

It’s like Walt Whitman wrote: “Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.”

We need good, uplifting stories, don’t we? We need to read them, hear them, and tell them. I find, particularly these days, that I need a break from the lawsuits, the hand-wringing, and the money grab that college athletics have become.

On Father’s Day, I typically remind readers that a paid gift subscription to this publication is a fun way to bond. I remember sharing the newspaper with my Dad as a kid. But my mother is a loyal reader of this column. She’s always been there. And last Mother’s Day, I received a number of inquiries from readers who wanted to gift their mother a subscription. I love that.

Sports is glue.

It wins again.

I’ve written about my mom and lots of other moms over the years. Today, I’d love for you to write a little in the comment section about yours. Tell me what she taught you. Tell me what she gave you. Tell me about the first thing that popped into your mind when I said I was curious about your mother.

What made (or makes) your mom special? Where would you take her if you could travel anywhere in the world? What would you say to her if you had a chance to go on a walk with her today? And if it’s not your mom that you celebrate today, who played that role?

I had my turn.

My mom is a rock star. She got married, had kids, and worked hard to raise those four children. Then went to college, got a degree, and went to work as a nurse. She chose a career in the mother-baby unit of the hospital. It was a magnificent second act, and a lesson to us kids.

The canvas is yours today. I’d love for you to drop into the comment section below, tell us all about your mother. It’s her day, after all. Celebrate her. And I can’t wait to read what you write.

---

Please consider a paid subscription for yourself. Or a gift subscription for a friend or family member.

This is an independent reader-supported project with both free and paid subscriptions. Thank you for opting for a paid subscription. You are helping provide vital assistance to bolster my independent coverage.