I played Hard Ball with Steve when I was 13 years old and He was 15. Steve showed me how to throw a curveballl and how to play shortstop. I watched everything he did because he did it so well. Even at such a young age, he had such great leadership qualities that looking at the other notes, he touched many more lives with those same qualities. Most of all, He brought that great Stevie Mercado smile right at you, razzing you a bit sometimes but saying… hey man.. you can
do this. We can do this… we can do something great… and he did… for many. All these years later, I am touched by him in this tragic event but in looking at the notes and how he touched others, he is still showing me how to play the field. My heart goes out to the Mercado family.