Life&Communityy March 26, 2010

B
THE COMMUNITY NEWS
w w w. c o m m u n i t y- n e w s . c o m

Ramblin’
Reubene

A lot has
changed in
Texas since
1519

Reubene Scott
news@community-news.com

I have always loved Texas

history. I didn’t have a choice
anyway - Daddy made sure we
studied it whether we want- DOMINIC GENETTI/THE COMMUNITY NEWS
ed to or not. Fortunately, I Tanner Linn (left) shakes hands with Bearcat head coach Ryan McCurley (right) after being told he will play in Aledo’s game at Rangers
lapped it up. Ballpark in Arlington
The written history of
Texas began in 1519 when
Alvarez de Pineda roughly
mapped the Texas coast. The

UNFORGETTABLE OPPORTUNITY
Spaniard was evidently too
lazy or scared to do the job
and took a wild tale of a land
inhabited by giants and pyg-
mies back to his king. That
was 491 years ago.
But the people came any-
way. Spanish friars came
and built missions to induce
Cancer survivor is baseball player for a day at Rangers Ballpark
Indians to become Christian,
only to lose their scalps for
their efforts. La Salle had
By Dominic Genetti
The Community News “When you got out there, Even though he popped out to the third base-
man–

F you actually felt like you’re

brought 400 rebellious colo-
nists from France where they
died of hunger, smallpox and
Indians. Spain sent soldiers to
far flung outposts. There they
tortured and raped and were
in turn murdered themselves.
Adventurers from American
frontiers came seeking power
in a wild and untamed land.
Lafitte, the pirate, came to
Galveston Island to begin what
was supposed to be his pirate
republic and raid the Gulf of
Mexico. He abandoned that
plan when an American ship
turned up.
Texas was still a wilderness
when Stephen F. Austin came
in 1821 bringing good settlers to
clear the wilderness, men and
women who wanted to be good
citizens of Mexico, then adopt-
ed land. Other colonizers came,
each of them agreeing to sup-
port the laws of the Republic
of Mexico. The colonies grew
and prospered for a while, but
an unhappy discovery was
made: American and Mexican
ideas of liberty and justice were
totally different. Matters went
from bad to worse. In 1832,
first blood was shed, and four
bloody years followed.
Then came 1836 and
the Texas Declaration of
Independence. There was the
heroic stand to the last man
in the Alamo, the merciless
murder of Fanning and his
men at Goliad, and finally the
great victory on the battlefield
at San Jacinto, considered by
some historians as one of the
greatest battles in the world.
or his birthday this year, Tanner “I was so anxious,” Tanner said with a chuckle.
Linn got the best present any- “I should’ve waited.”
one could ask for. playing for the Rangers –he still got to stand in the batters box that in
It wasn’t a DVD. It wasn’t a video game. It
playing against the Red just a few short weeks will be shared with Josh
Hamilton, Michael Young and the rest of the
wasn’t even money. Sox or Yankees.” Texas Rangers.
Tanner got to play left field for the Aledo - Tanner Linn “Words can’t describe how amazing it was to
Bearcats varsity baseball team at Rangers be out there,” Tanner said, “and be able to even
Ballpark in Arlington. suit up and have a jersey on.”
Game day came and the moment arrived.
“It was amazing,” the AHS junior and team But none of this was suppose to happen.
manager said. “When you got out there, you actu- As his name lightly echoed in the box seats,
ally felt like you’re playing for the Rangers play- the Aledo fans erupted with applause as Tanner Tanner shouldn’t be playing sports, especially
ing against the Red Sox or Yankees.” ran into left field. A position normally guarded baseball, at least that’s what the doctors said.
by Major League Baseball players, was now Just a few short years ago when Tanner was
Unlike the rest of the Bearcats, Tanner doesn’t
under the supervision of an Aledo Bearcat who’s on his way to middle school, a terrible pain was
get to play. In fact he doesn’t even have a uni-
heart yearns for the national pastime. occurring in his right arm. It was so bad, he was
form. Instead, he does the stats and keeps track
of every pitch, play and hit Aledo makes in their “It was like Tiger Woods’ backyard I guess throwing the baseball sidearm.
push to the playoffs. you could say,” Tanner said. “(The grass) was cut “He could still do everything, but it would
perfect, it was really nice.” just hurt, it would ache,” Scott Linn, Tanner’s
“It’s awesome just to be apart of the team and
father, said.
travel with them and practice with them,” Tanner The short, dirty blond kid even got to bat.
said. An x-ray and biopsy later, Tanner was diag-
“I was nervous for him,” Stacey Linn, Tanner’s
Aledo head coach Ryan McCurley likes the mother said. “His heart was probably pounding nosed with Osteosarcoma, bone cancer.
enthusiasm Tanner brings to the team. like crazy.” Turn to TANNER, page 2B
“He’s the best kind of manager to have,”
McCurley said. “He’s a fun kid to be around.”
And McCurley took that into consideration
when he got word the Bearcats were invited to
play against Midlothian High School at Rangers
Ballpark.
Both Aledo and Midlothian sold a number of
tickets for the Rangers and as a reward, the base-
ball teams got the call to play on the diamond of
the major league stadium.
McCurley broke the news to the players and
Tanner just sat in the wings as players reacted to
the opportunity, but the second-year coach had
a surprise up his sleeve. He was going to play
Tanner. Only thing was he wasn’t going to find
out until the team meeting after practice March
15, his birthday.
Just three days before the game. DOMINIC GENETTI/THE COMMUNITY NEWS

“I was trying to stop from tearing up,” Tanner Tanner Linn (center) smiles after being told he would be in uniform to play for the Aledo Bearcats for
Turn to REUBENE, page 7B said. “This was the best birthday present ever.” their game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

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