A player and coach's journey from chemotherapy to HR Derby

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers All-Star slugger Joey Gallo has never forgotten that day he spent during spring training five years ago with Tony Beasley — a nearly four-hour chemotherapy session to treat the coach's cancer.

When Gallo steps into the box for the Home Run Derby in Denver on Monday night, Beasley will be throwing to him — as the third base coach has in batting practice before Rangers games throughout the 27-year-old slugger's big league career.

“What he’s been through and what he’s overcame, the story should be more about him, honestly, than me," said Gallo, now in his fifth full season. "And I want to give him some recognition.”

Beasley has been cancer free since December 2016, after the nearly yearlong bout with rectal cancer that included multiple rounds of extensive chemotherapy during spring training and later during that season. Between treatments that year, the deeply faithful Beasley remained upbeat and was around the team as much as he could.

While Beasley had planned to spend next week's break at home in Virginia, the former minor league All-Star infielder who never played in the majors couldn't turn down Gallo.

“He was relieved, but it made me feel good that I felt like I was his only choice,” Beasley said. “And he went back to 2016 when we spent time together in chemotherapy and that type of stuff, he felt like that would be a good opportunity to shed light on cancer and the possibility of inspiring people.

“That was still fresh on his mind, that wasn’t kind of where I was thinking,” the coach said. "But he was really serious about that avenue, and so that meant a lot to me to know that that’s where his heart was at.”

Gallo had played only 36 major league games the previous season, striking out in more than half of his at-bats between...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/A-player-and-coach-s-journey-from-chemotherapy-to-16306195.php