Striker would you say your shot maker of all struggles. All over Shawn Saulsbury that was a joke that we used to have all the above. Speaking of black golfers back in the day when I was at the golf with one of the very best of the guy who was the best Like offered American I said I would not want to play golf with you for money and he said again it is not mine and you would want to play against me in the dark. Like this happened really fast it will be a magical moment and then it'll be over. 6 complete stories of the year when within a. Mile of our. Green is it is every. Person to thank for. Your going to love that you are just writing an email out to selling you how much you hate spell check I hate spell check because it means you don't have braids. Anymore in our midst he does not spell check Well special edition of The Fix germy shaft Robert. Why the holidays are upon us looking back at some of our favorite stories teddy bears as projectiles stunningly precocious spelling chant you just saw a wrestler defines. Us and the boy with the heart of a lie ahead. He's 60 he's presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance. To throw out the 1st pitch at a Major League Baseball game an honor for those who've been chosen to do it a cherished ritual that occurs thousands of times each season a rich tradition that embodies our love for teams and the national pastime. How in all the tells us the story of one Massachusetts family and why their ceremonial toss this past summer and so much more. Jump on the bottom subject empire. And Empire eminently. August 27th 2070. Scholtz family is on its way to Fenway Park when he or. She has a sales like big job I got to actually spend the day. I want to reach the magical moment. And then it'll be over. Today they will throughout the games 1st pitch. And it will come. From the Heart. When he miles outside Boston lies the town still Massachusetts. Here in the fall of 2011 Mike Erica Scholtz awaited the arrival of their 1st child . We went in for what is your typical 18 week ultrasounds and we were really excited to find out are we having a boy are we having a girl and the doctor came anything pictures and taking pictures. Instead of tying up if it was a boy or girl. I'm so very sorry to say this. But your son has critical in order to know if. We found out. In the same 2nd we found out severe heart disease. Critical aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the heart's aortic valve. The disease affects 6 in every 1000 births . But this case was extreme. The valve that leads from the heart out to the body was very very tight it was almost like the door was completely shut and only a little bit of flow could get out. The Schulze's opted for an experimental in utero heart surgery. That had been performed fewer than $150.00 times in the world. At 20 weeks of gestation. And then again in 26 weeks I was the 1st person in the world ever had 2 successful heart surgeries for he was. On Feb 16th 2012 Ari Francis Scholtz entered the world. His 1st name Hebrew for a lion. Oh oh oh. Oh Oh Ok. He's going to have to be a lion he's going after the really strong in a fighter to get through this and we just know it was a perfect game for him. Despite living with a congenital heart defect 3 weeks after his birth Ari was stable enough to come home. READY. As he began to grow. I think Mary. 'd so too did his 1st and only obsession right now the route. From one to 2. Became a sports fanatic. As he started to get older. He then had golf because. Then he had bad. Baseball just became his passion. What about. Borrowing his load all the hero out Styles and I were ready I was wild of grass. Only came to the surface what about why. Well background. It occurred. To me start. Being a fan of baseball in Boston. Being a fair one team. I would say I'm very. I was number 9 the Splendid Splinter. We would start to watch on t.v. And he would sit there for hours and watch the rest of that. In patients like Ari it's very hard to notice when their sex. And r. Is a perfect example of many of our kids who can really act normally play normally learn normally even though inside his heart was really critically ill. By the time Henri was for. Undergone 3 open heart surgery. He also had welcomed a baby sister and a baby brother. Then in the summer of 2016 already went in for a routine checkup. His cardiologist came in and he just says you know. Ari's a heart failure. And we think it's time that they evaluate him for our trips. Because they're really. At that point we knew that he needed a heart to even have a chance to survive and he was just getting sicker and sicker and sicker. Us Ari spent 8 months on the transplant list then just after his 5th birthday March 3rd 2017 so I was talking to the doctors a few minutes ago and they said you know how they've been looking for a heart for a long ass I think they found one. I think they found one that might be a perfect for you. Ready. For the fact you have is this is. What do you think. Why am I getting close maybe maybe this afternoon or tonight. Be scared or anything to add to. That he will be there with you Ok oh. You so much. That night already went into surgery. It took his medical team 4 hours to complete the transplant. Then at 11 32 pm or a new heart began beating. His chest was open and it has a great covering over it but you can very obviously see the heart and it was a very very powerful moment. But at the same time we knew that this was just the beginning. 3 weeks after the surgery. Henri spotty an immune system acutely rejected his new heart. He suffered cardiac arrest. And was placed on life support. When his heart did not beat on its own. For the next 36 hours. When 36 hours. What did you do. Then we thought we lost them. And then we asked him one time when he opened his eyes you want to watch t.v. . And he nodded his head. He has a cartoon and he said Now sports he said. To Michael right he's there you there and you can control. As already hard gradually regain strength he returned to his passion. And that's all right. Well you know. Having sports being able to play sports it kept him active Oh. For the room it definitely kept the spirit that because it enabled him to do what he loves to do. Oh and I think for a while. When he could play. My 5 year old Fenway Park. In those moments he was an asshole. Then on June 14th 2017. After almost 200 days in the hospital. Today. When. Friday. I'm. Yet to actually walk out. It was just the most incredible feeling ever. Just you mate. In my heart. I was worried. He was exceptionally sick. He's a fighter. But this gives a very powerful. No but real money make you want. Suffers more damage from. Rejection and it's going to be devastating. Ari was sent home on 23 different medications. Each with its own specific dosage and to the minute schedule. It's a lot. A lot he's organized and also very high stakes because if we make a mistake we can be really hurting. Oh. Yeah Vasquez's and. Yeah. Yeah. Yeahs already continue to recover his story began to spread across Boston. His dad had been posting videos to You Tube. Which eventually made their way to his favorite team's locker room. Then on July 7th 3 weeks after leaving the hospital. Got a special visit. At the moment he sees me. And all. I wanted to do from that point always playing baseball. Play like 2 hours baseball. You never get tired. The parents. Live out his. Play baseball with the red. You know everyone gets to do what are you did. Feel. Like everything in his life that he always wanted. Ferrari one more success. So our leader in August. Are going. Well you're going to everyone. When you're. Just trail out the 1st pitch in for a Christian to catch it and it's practically all about. 13 days after that visit July 27th. I fell asleep on the couch. I was on the couch with me because he usually came out to the couch to sleep. And he was just. Having a bad dream. And then he started he stiffness it rolled back in his head he started filming at the mouth and I was just screaming up stares to our medical mind when one. Already was suffering a seizure in the early morning hours he was rushed to the hospital. Then at 10 am. His heart stopped 'd 'd. As simply as you can stated mine was because. The rejection came back. And there was no coming back from it. I didn't want to add to read. All sorts of things go through your mind and you just literally say. I'll do anything to get all you go just save it just have this baby yet. While listening to a Red Sox game July 21st when he 17. Ari Scholtz died. It was 5 years old. That's operating the game. And I. Things like this. Happened really fast get out there are full of throw the pitch. It'll be. A magical moment and then it'll be over. And I think. That's what Ari was. Do. I think it's going to be really hard but. In the end I told him that he was telling it to do Ari Hebrew for lion. So we picked a name for it turned out to be what it. Already have the heart of the line. And we are joined now in studio by our Tom Rinaldi Tom. Are you guys as you guys were reporting this piece as you were filming this piece his family made a decision they still wanted to have his story told why do you need so much that we began Jeremy to film with the family and with already essentially the day he returned from the hospital in chronicling his story the interview that we did was 3 days unity with Ari 3 days before he passed which cast us in a situation frankly that we've never been ultimately it was the family that reached out to us to say we hope you will continue we want you to share this story I think in part Jeremy and I know you've experienced this too because they want to show other families who tragically are going through this same sort of challenge there can be strength there can be in durance there can be spirit and that's what we did our best to capture this story resonated with so many people out there the response was huge so much sympathy for this family so much acknowledgment of all restraint what why do you think it struck those scores of people the answer there is simple I think it's the spirit of Ari and the. The story has great loss and great sadness and grief at its center it also has. That the family captured alive and through his battle I think that ultimately is what. Tom thank you so much beautiful story. Certainly. Serve over. 60 presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance Liberty stands. Considering that the. 15. Will sort of start. A stand up career. First we're. Going to. Read you. You may not always agree with him I can not believe what I'm hearing which you can hear when he asked to see an insult to in the news. For me so when the news. 16 presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance. It's a 24 year old tradition you need to junior in minor league hockey this time of the year for the 1st home goalie that's a shower of teddy bears as many as 25000 the teddy bear toss produces many boys for charity and I like that's the that's wild. Stuff as we look back at the stories that moved us in 2017 we are also looking ahead in this new year we'll share even more of the best stories in sports investigations profiles stories that will touch your heart and maybe raise your ire Here's a preview of some of what we have in store. a very young man will. Be. Back up. Next a lot of. Its goal again when the Americans have voted the same word the most annoying word to the 9th year in a row the word you may want to avoid using at family or friends holiday gatherings is whatever whatever Does that annoy you that much you know yeah I don't see that was being that annoying your phrase I can see it is what it is hate to hate them but this isn't phrases in a word so most annoying word there's got to be more annoying words and what it wants to weigh in here but we want to because what you're most annoying the most annoying word most overused word 2017 when guys use it twice today at think it was an epic call by the judge I don't have a problem with epic that was that was a waste of a 30 seconds of 10 seconds of I could hear from standard every now and then thanks to the glass we like to hear on the back find a glass behind the glass except for the if we don't hear from him now we want to hear from. Whatever. Its goal of 6 Eastern on e.s.p.n. Radio and e.s.p.n. 2. The only people we're always had a real tree real tree real tree but I always forgot to water the needle dried out they fell off everywhere she kept giving me a chance after about 4 or 5 chances she said if you blow it this year it's fake from America out I dried out another tree I had another fire hazard at a house with kids so I had to give up the dream of always having to live tree and now we have a fake tree if Golovkin window it's eastern on e.s.p.n. Radio and e.s.p.n. To. Put. This into your own on Disney Radio or e.s.p.n. a Sports network we just had a rapper interrupted by Carrot Top talking football but that's support the theory that we're not dumb and stupid or. I want everyone to absorb the idea that that has happened to you when most from the sentiment Basho. That's right. On the map. When we 1st visited Zach Anglin back in June I remarked at that point on the all that I have for wrestlers the unique mindset the dedication required for this primal challenge on the net and among such refined athletic company comes this young man from a place in wrestling season where frankly there's not much else to do and so his singular focus in his life marked by challenge and again his story is told by one who understands this life on and off the bat very well. March 19th 2011. That. Was a good day. The day of my last ever match my senior season. My last shot of becoming a champion at the greatest sport in the world. Thank goodness. But this story isn't about me. About another arrest. This guy. You see Jack angling. For a lot of light. And all eyes turn on that 5 2nd and one a senior. I was thinking to myself. I'll carry a smile I shall. Want to give you guys a title just to show people that is possible. Russ is like us. All we're looking for is a chance. Missed or. About a chance to give an exact angle years ago. In the sport. That gave us. Our doubts and when with an attack. On the doctors viewed as the Gallatin to lose. By the guy that they're using to prove. Chicago Illinois. October 14th 1980. Baby boy is born with physical anomalies that doctors can explain and is powerful parents couldn't handle. Back with pouring off for. Sure of his lower limbs missing and so he has no hands and feet. Social workers contacted Mark 245 am Rush can't find any of her group are willing to take just baby. I heard him say. Softish hair you ever see. So we have to. Back was number 15. We had 7 biological children and then we started the doctoring and we made a commitment that we would take the children that no one else was willing to take. And this is where they went. To anglers $200.00 acre farm in Wisconsin is northernmost elegy. A field. I just never really saw as I was adopted. Always felt like I was just part of the family. We live now are people make friends. Always wanting to do what they want. Here life would never be about what that was missed. Learning that. He would just make if I can't stand the changes it really funny that it was us all really amazing. In the eyes of other people in policy yeah this kid had after everything it wasn't like me thinking after gas to do this. Yeah I told him that's a mindset that you have to have you have to be unafraid to fail. The mindset. Of a wrestler. 2012. I ran into Dad he said I got this boy I think you'd be pretty good at it and here comes act. On your arms or legs. My 1st practice I. Pick up take down to take down. I mash them up with one of my kids that were. Pretty much destroyed. Him a little better too. He did the same thing. While. Literally he was very raw but he made his work. We knew right away this kid some special and he is going to be good. But in high school debate field Washburn math rats the competition would be more fierce. Stronger. I'm hoping to show the world you can't run away from competition. And that. You went out there and just tell day. And the like I said you care for him and he really big for the ending even while I. Was winning winning money. He's a good ball of muscle honestly and. He's just so fast all over the place and you have to keep your hands on him cause. He got older everybody knows now when people are going wait a 2nd you know that's an advantage this is not fair. He's the same with his other kids. Just took those words in fact my fireless it. Was my whole life growing up and. I wanted to be the best. More than 100 wins. 3 times to qualify. For all he had accomplished it was something missing. A state title. For me I was just. One make my parents proud of me. I want to give you guys a title. I worked. I worked. At work and I worked. Ok. This is my last shot. We have to turn it up a notch one hour. Which 20 seconds. And then with an attack in a double leg head of the outside touch the corner and it's not just had it been a lot of. Final 10 seconds angle and remains in control yet. And now as are you bore so at the plaster Oh thank. You all for restart t.v. 11. And that will be the final score. Was quiet. The whole stadium was a boy to me. Looked down and I was like This Is It. My last match ever. Here in a fraternity. Or same grind. For political nothing. Has done. You just say. This is our depth we are doing Ok if you're good. You're better that you wrestle than if you would not have done this. In this is the one thing that will kick your ass. For good. Jack and. We are a lot like. You've gotten loose and. Now we've missed. All the. Balls you are. In Charge you have. The situation. There when I heard him often say. No I don't mean Al. Green. Go that. Look on his face this is. Now. The moment. And then he rolled with our story following that last that Zach spent the rest of the spring coaching the Bayfield Washburn middle school team and right now he's enrolled at Spartan college in Oklahoma he hopes to major in Aviation Management eventually become a commercial pilot. Coming up the age of auto correct spelling is. To. Look back at your unlike any other words which. The national political conversation. Everyone loves that. The Americans have voted the same word the most annoying word to the nice. May want to avoid using family or friends holiday gatherings is whatever whatever Does that annoy you that much no I don't see that one is being that annoying your phrase it is what it is. But this isn't phrases in a word so most annoying there's got to be more annoying words and. What you're most annoying. Twice today. Was an epic called. I don't have a problem with that was that was a waste of 30 seconds of 10 seconds if I could hear from. Now we want to hear from whatever. It's going. On e.s.p.n. Radio and e.s.p.n. . Radio. And willingly is taking the worst punishment. Because there are. Men right. Thank. You. It's an insult to say please you listen. We'll. I'm the only everyone that disagrees with me to say that or immoral listen. You. Get them to print. The Will Cain show coming to see at 3 Eastern on yesterday at Radio one on the e.s.p.n. App. 60 he's presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance Liberty stands which. We brought you a lot of great stories a lot of engaging people you've met this year but the one who can best well cast your spell over you she's next we 1st met her back in May just before the National Spelling Bee that intimidating wave of your early 300 youngsters with supernatural abilities to spell correctly under pressure as you know there is an age maximum in Washington d.c. But there's no minimal effect good news for that because youngest competitor in the history the spelling bee she will sell. A role in. Her So here they are books. The little engine and I think. The one engine that I cannot I can not and one engine and I think I can I think I can. Which engine do you like. And Leland you said I think I can. Bringing it is everything else. I'm friends READY. I'm fine even if. We were just having fun around the table you know oh can you spell cat and what else can you. One of us throughout the word restaurant and she spelled it . How did she know that. We turned on youtube. And found a little spelling bee. And she was absolutely transfixed. The words and every time and as one looks at. She was quite a bit more advanced than we expected. We thought well hey maybe she would like a competition. In the room was quite large and there were 53 as our competition and most of them were probably 10 to 15. They could be very intimidating. First time up to the microphone and she just kind of tiptoed up and looked around and. I didn't know what to think. They did her faded. Please give me the language of one or 2. This word is from a German name to. Be the Archangel Kurt corrected Thanks for the last 3 and I didn't even seem difficult for her I couldn't spell the words as she's. Trying to prove that. For the correct she just kept spelling them and spelling them past Burleigh. As. I. Just post to a. Correct. We just have to have you bless. My dear. Dear Can you please give me the language of origin this word is from a word that went from Sanskrit to Hindi. The I r e Monday years. When the boy next to him misspelled his word I was shocked I thought Oh my goodness this is it this is the anticipated championship word Genaro now. Please give me the definition. Knowledge. And. You're our campaign. There with my mouth open and. She's going asshole. I was very excited right that 2nd when I. I knew that word Jenna that means knowledge. Congratulations to pull or our original filling be here b.n. I got a trophy and he has a. Picture posted the 1st place on the. Top of the chair for she investors of the national competition. She goes and has a great time. Out on her 1st word then. Finding that we. Are. Person to you. Daryn. If you're ready we've got the other chamber right here on a lot of. Little Rock. But she was eliminated from the finals because of her score on the written test Time now for our take. Sport has always been a 0 sum enterprise a winner and a loser the thrill of victory the agony of defeat and this year more than ever that simplistic reality has mutated into our culture witness our politics or the absence of nuance of the national dialogue and that polarization indeed weaponization infected sports off the field in 2017 protesting n.f.l. Players were either socially conscious or disrespectful millionaires c.t.m. Concussion concerns all too often broke down along red and blue political lines Rick Pitino he was fired by Louisville which did nothing to dissuade the university from cashing the checks Medina's at the heart of the scandal Larry Nasser's unspeakable exploitation of young gymnasts persisted even as the girls he abused were winning acclaim and Olympic gold medals and less profoundly Derek Jeter as fire sale as Marlins owner produced literal booms directed at the man universally admired as player sports beyond producing those stark winners and losers also has the power to unite us as we watch what we need as we punctuate this year of this year Osama is a major infusion of that. This week Charles Barkley used to be a Republican was campaigning in Alabama for Doug Jones was running against Roy Moore for u.s. Senate back in September President from Democrat was campaigning in Alabama for Luther Strange who was running against more for us Senate seat that's when the president made his most pointed remarks about n.f.l. Players who don't stand for the Star-Spangled Banner Barkley and Trump on the stuff that was sports in a nutshell in 2. As the 17th even as we hear the cry stick to sports more and more often and you can't blame people for wanting to find some relief from the news cycle with their games the reality is that these days worth more than ever is mixed up with everything else politics race issues foreign affairs public health you name it sports is part of the conversation as 2018 dawns what's clear is that if the new year is anything like the past year sticking to sports will continue to be easier said than done. As the next 2 cities we invite you to enjoy the 6010th anniversary celebration we gather around the table and hear the stories and the excerpts we have so many many stories to tell Thanks for having joined us we'll see you again soon for Bob Lee and Jeremy chef at the holidays.