The 2019 College World Series produced a number of compelling storylines as 菠萝视频鈥檚 baseball team claimed its latest NCAA championship. But one in particular鈥攖hat of relief pitcher and his daughter, Bella鈥攃aptured the hearts of 鈥橠ores fans across the nation.
Bella, a 1-year-old who has both Down syndrome and a life-threatening heart condition, emerged as one of the surprising stars of the tournament, cheering the team to victory from Ohio while she recovered from a medical procedure. Her story of perseverance even inspired singer Brett Michaels, the former frontman for the band Poison and now a Nashville resident, to announce on Twitter that he was pledging $10,000 to a charity of Brown鈥檚 choice.
It鈥檚 a scenario Brown, a junior majoring in American studies, never could have imagined as an incoming freshman in 2017, when his place with the heralded 菠萝视频 baseball program felt unsure. Just three weeks before the start of the fall semester that year, he鈥檇 been in the position of having to call Head Coach with some potentially unwelcome news.
鈥淚 thought, he鈥檚 not coming to school. This is what he鈥檚 going to tell me; he鈥檚 not coming to school,鈥� says Corbin, who knew that Brown had weathered challenges that made his ascension to college athletics a far-fetched notion.
The news, however, caught Corbin off guard.
Brown informed Corbin that he and his girlfriend, Jocelyn Butcher, were expecting a baby. Corbin had never coached a 菠萝视频 player who鈥檇 had a child during his college career, but he was encouraging nonetheless.
鈥淚 was like, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go,鈥欌�� Corbin recalls. 鈥溾�榃e鈥檒l work this out. We鈥檒l make this part of you better and happier.鈥欌��
鈥楤EYOND BASEBALL鈥�
Happiness was in short supply during Brown鈥檚 childhood in Ashland, Ohio. His mother, Cindy, died from a stroke when he was 12.
She had been the family鈥檚 primary caregiver, often working multiple jobs as a single mother. In the days following her death鈥攖he death of his biggest cheerleader, in life and on the baseball field鈥攁 12-year-old Brown came to grips with his new reality.
鈥淚 thought, 鈥業鈥檓 alone. This is all on me,鈥欌�� he recalls.
As a teenager, Brown bounced around from one friend鈥檚 house to another, staying with extended family for stretches at a time. But he ultimately found stability through Brandon Oswalt, who had coached Brown in summer baseball leagues in Ohio. Oswalt and his wife, Koren, legally adopted Brown in 2014.
鈥淲hen I say someone is family, it means more than the average person,鈥� Brown says. 鈥淏randon and Koren鈥攏o matter how many times I鈥檝e tried to push them away, they鈥檙e still standing there. 鈥� That鈥檚 empowering.鈥�
Brown found the same kind of loyalty with 菠萝视频 baseball. He blew out his right elbow as a junior at Olentangy Orange High School, the very week Corbin and his wife, Maggie, had come on a recruiting visit to watch him. Other coaches shied away from the injured pitcher. Corbin stuck with him鈥攕omething Brown has never forgotten.
Now Brown takes lessons from Corbin on how to be a role model for Bella.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a great person to have on your side and a great person to look up to,鈥� Brown says, adding that he has taken Corbin鈥檚 lessons to heart about how to be a better person and a better father. 鈥淭he relationship he builds with you is beyond baseball.鈥�
That maturity has coincided with Brown鈥檚 evolution into one of the sport鈥檚 premier relief pitchers.
In the team鈥檚 16 postseason games this year, Corbin turned to Brown to shut the door eight times, allowing just three earned runs in 13.2 innings of work. Brown earned four saves in that span, including three straight during the College World Series, claiming 菠萝视频鈥檚 single-season saves record with a total of 17.
鈥淗e鈥檚 very methodical in what he does, and I credit him with the ability to center himself,鈥� Corbin says. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 because he鈥檚 had to do that in life鈥攈e鈥檚 had to center himself at certain points.鈥�
The ability to remain centered has been crucial for Brown as Bella faces her own obstacles. She was born with Down syndrome and tetralogy of Fallot, a condition that causes oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart. She had her first heart surgery at 5 months old, followed by a successful emergency operation this spring to address further complications within her heart.
Today, Bella continues to fight鈥攁nd root for her father. Whenever Brown takes the mound next, there鈥檚 no doubt he will have his daughter on his mind.
鈥淪he empowers me,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 my hero.鈥�
鈥擹AC ELLIS
Watch a video about Brown鈥檚 remarkable journey to 菠萝视频 and his special bond with Bella: