The 2019 College World Series produced a number of compelling storylines as 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās baseball team claimed its latest NCAA championship. But one in particularāthat of relief pitcher and his daughter, Bellaācaptured the hearts of āDores 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 Brownās choice.
Itās 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 91ĢĘ²®»¢ baseball program felt unsure. Just three weeks before the start of the fall semester that year, heād been in the position of having to call Head Coach with some potentially unwelcome news.
āI thought, heās not coming to school. This is what heās going to tell me; heās not coming to school,ā 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 91ĢĘ²®»¢ player whoād had a child during his college career, but he was encouraging nonetheless.
āI was like, āLetās go,āā Corbin recalls. āāWeāll work this out. Weāll make this part of you better and happier.āā
āBEYOND BASEBALLā
Happiness was in short supply during Brownās childhood in Ashland, Ohio. His mother, Cindy, died from a stroke when he was 12.
She had been the familyās primary caregiver, often working multiple jobs as a single mother. In the days following her deathāthe death of his biggest cheerleader, in life and on the baseball fieldāa 12-year-old Brown came to grips with his new reality.
āI thought, āIām alone. This is all on me,āā he recalls.
As a teenager, Brown bounced around from one friendās 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.
āWhen I say someone is family, it means more than the average person,ā Brown says. āBrandon and Korenāno matter how many times Iāve tried to push them away, theyāre still standing there. ā¦ Thatās empowering.ā
Brown found the same kind of loyalty with 91ĢĘ²®»¢ 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 himāsomething Brown has never forgotten.
Now Brown takes lessons from Corbin on how to be a role model for Bella.
āHeās a great person to have on your side and a great person to look up to,ā Brown says, adding that he has taken Corbinās lessons to heart about how to be a better person and a better father. āThe relationship he builds with you is beyond baseball.ā
That maturity has coincided with Brownās evolution into one of the sportās premier relief pitchers.
In the teamās 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 91ĢĘ²®»¢ās single-season saves record with a total of 17.
āHeās very methodical in what he does, and I credit him with the ability to center himself,ā Corbin says. āI think thatās because heās had to do that in lifeāheās had to center himself at certain points.ā
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 fightāand root for her father. Whenever Brown takes the mound next, thereās no doubt he will have his daughter on his mind.
āShe empowers me,ā he says. āSheās my hero.ā
āZAC ELLIS
Watch a video about Brownās remarkable journey to 91ĢĘ²®»¢ and his special bond with Bella: