MICHAEL McCOLLY is a teacher of ESL and creative writing in Chicago. For the past year, he has been interviewing people living and working with HIV/AIDS, particularly activists and doctors, both in Asia and in Chicago neighborhoods. He is currently traveling in West Africa and looking for a publisher for a travel narrative about his trips to various countries affected by HIV/AIDS. About his essay in the April 2002 issue, he writes, “I wrote this piece for my father, who made his career not in baseball, but as a coach and a teacher. He has allowed me to share such a personal story about us because he hopes that it may inspire other parents and children to make that trip down the long road of forgiveness.”

We Decided To Call It Baseball

by Michael McColly, April 2002 (Issue 316)