The Casey With ALS

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the ALS team that day The score stood a billion to nothing with one more breath to play And so when Gehrig died at 42 and others did the same A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game. A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. They knew that recovery was not possible not even remotely rare. But Schilling started a foundation And Susan Spencer-Wendel wrote her Until I Say Godbye book And the former Ravens linebacker OJ Brigance won a Super Bowl If only that were all it took. And then the Whitman student body began to stand as one For Casey Bank, mighty Casey was advancing to his place. Thousands of eyes were on him as he defiantly fought this killer disease. Everyone who loved him raved of his dignity They marveled at his ease. And while responding to the cheers he lightly doffed his hat. No one in the crowd could doubt it was Casey at the bat. What is a Hal of Fame if we don’t honor those who fought this terrible fraud? But one started look from Casey and the audience was awed. They saw his face grow stern and cold. They saw his deteriorating muscles strain And they knew that a brave man like this Would not come there way again. Oh somewhere in this South Huntington town The sun is shining bright And somewhere bands are playing And somewhere hearts are light. And somewhere men are laughing And somewhere children create a din But there is no joy at Walt Whitman High School Hall of Fame Until mighty Casey Bank is voted in.