A different take on playing through the pain – a baseball story

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‘She loved

him more than life’

Baseball | 4/28/2015 3:42:00 PM | By Wes Bloomquist || [email protected]

 

While other families were gathering to celebrate on Thanksgiving Day, Angelo State senior catcher Cameron Massengill was by his mother’s side as she passed away. {{more}}

Shari Massengill closed her caring eyes for the final time on November 27, 2014 after being diagnosed with colon cancer in September of 2013. She fought the disease for over a year with love in her heart for Cameron and her husband, Bo Massengill, who both gave her strength and purpose every day as she battled to remain with them.

“There were a lot of times when I wanted to quit school and baseball and move back home to be with her during that time,” said Cameron, who is Shari’s only child. “She wouldn’t let me do that though. We talked on the phone every day and I tried to encourage her, but she was really encouraging me. She was so strong that it made it easier for me.”

Angelo State senior catcher Cameron Massengill has played in 367 of 373 innings this season for the Rams and has 92 career hits and thrown out 33 runners.

“Shari never wanted her illness to be to be a burden or to wear on Cameron,” Bo Massengill said. “I remember when she told him she wanted him to stay in school and continue to play baseball. It was what she really wanted. She didn’t want what she was going through to interfere with his life’s journey. He needed to go to school and baseball was the best therapy for him. She knew that.”

Cameron’s talent on the baseball field has led to many great memories for the family, including celebrating a Class 3A championship when he was a senior at Kennedale High. As a senior, Massengill hit .463 and drove in 59 RBIs before deciding to play at Cisco College. He played two seasons at Cisco, finishing his junior college career with a .326 average. Massengill has now played in 97 games at Angelo State in his career and is the all-time leader at ASU with a .995 fielding percentage that includes 696 putouts, 54 assists and only four errors. A starter in 45 of 46 games this season, he has thrown out 22 runners attempting to steal this year and had an 11-game hitting streak where he produced 17 hits. The 11-game streak, which included four games with two hits and one with three, is the longest streak of the season for the Rams.

“Cam’s a really strong person and has handled this the best way that anyone can,” said ASU senior pitcher Hayden Elrod who was also teammates with Massengill at Kennedale High and Cisco College. “I’ve seen him struggle at times, but I think he’s doing pretty good with it all. If he’s hiding something, he’s doing a good job of keeping it from everyone. His mom wanted him to get an education and get his degree. I know that him finishing school was one of her goals for him and he’s going to do that for her. I think he’s been able to stay focused and driven in school and baseball because she was so supportive of him when she was alive.”

ASU head coach Kevin Brooks said. “He’s a steady player who doesn’t need to draw attention to himself, but at the end of most games you know who he is because of the way he played the game. He’s been incredibly steady and productive for us despite everything that he’s had to go through. I know his mom would be really proud of how he’s responded and the person he is. His parents did a great job of raising him.”

“Shari had a wonderful saying that really explained her and Cameron’s outlook on life,” Bo Massengill said. “‘Be kind always, you never know what the other person is going through.’ This really explains why Shari was such a big part of molding Cameron into the man he is.”

Massengill is a life science major at Angelo State University and plans on teaching biology and coaching high school baseball. He will graduate next May and then set out on his next journey, one that will still revolve around the game and helping others. His mother’s impact on his life will never fade and will guide every decision he makes. Her influence instilled in him to treat others with respect and kindness, and her final lesson was to never give up.

“I was lucky to be her son,” Cameron said. “It was the toughest day of my life but also a blessing to be there with her. It was a holiday and everyone was celebrating with their families and we were there with her as she passed away. It was hard, but I know she’s happy now and is no longer in pain. I miss her every day.”

 

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