A Sacrifice Hit

Not every victory belongs to the person who gets the applause. Sometimes the most important play is the one that costs something. Set against the growing popularity of baseball, this story takes an idea from the game itself - the sacrifice hit, where a player gives up personal success to advance someone else - and carries it beyond the field. What begins with competition and ambition gradually becomes a question of loyalty, affection, and what people are willing to surrender for one another. The scoreboard may record one outcome. The heart records another.