The Bull Who Believed

Tommy stood nervously at home plate, clutching his lucky baseball hat. The storm clouds above grew darker, but Coach Green said they had time for one last inning.

"You can do this, champ!" called his golden retriever, Max from the sidelines. Max was the team's good luck charm—every game he attended, they won.

Tommy pulled his hat tight and stepped up to the plate. *CRACK!* The ball sailed toward the fence.

Then came the lightning.

A brilliant bolt struck the old oak tree beyond the outfield. Smoke hissed. Sparks flew. And from the glowing tree stepped the most unexpected visitor—a massive brown bull, wearing a baseball cap backward on his giant horns.

The crowd gasped. The bull trotted toward Tommy, his hooves thumping like thunder.

"Young man," said the bull in a deep, rumbly voice, "you hit like you're afraid to miss. But the best hitters miss more than they hit."

Tommy's jaw dropped. "You can talk?"

"I can do many things," the bull winked. "I was once the greatest baseball player who ever lived. But I forgot to believe in myself, and well..." he gestured at his bull body.

Max trotted over and nudged Tommy's hand. *Believe,* his eyes seemed to say.

"Your dog knows courage when he sees it," said the bull. "Now, put on your hat properly and swing like you mean it."

Tommy adjusted his cap. He picked up his bat. He imagined the ball flying farther than ever before.

*CRACK!* The ball soared over the fence, over the trees, into the clouds where the lightning had flashed.

"Now THAT," said the bull, "is how you play baseball."

And then, as suddenly as he'd appeared, the bull dissolved into golden sparks that drifted up to join the passing storm.

"Did you see that?" Tommy breathed.

Max barked and wagged his tail.

That night, Tommy tucked his hat under his pillow. Sometimes, he whispered to the empty room, "Thank you, Bull."

And sometimes, if he listened very closely, he could hear a rumbly voice whisper back: "Believe. Always believe."