God is at work at each degree of the sports activities world.
That was on full show Saturday in Nashville, when Nashville Sounds minor league baseball participant Wes Clarke was baptized by his teammate, buddy and fellow follower of Christ, Brewer Hicklen. Each gamers wore “Jesus Won” shirts as they carried out the baptism on the sphere, with followers nonetheless the seats, after the crew’s 4-1 win against the Memphis Redbirds.
>> Subscribe to Sports Spectrum Magazine for more stories where sports and faith connect <<
“Had the privilege of being baptized yesterday on the sphere by considered one of my good mates @brewerhicklen after our recreation,” Clarke wrote in a caption for an Instagram post on Sunday afternoon. “Thanks Jesus for this superb second in my life. I’m extremely blessed to be surrounded by so many supportive individuals. It was such a particular night time!”
Clarke, a 24-year-old native of Richmond, Virginia, performed highschool ball at Liberty Christian Academy in Lynchburg earlier than three collegiate seasons at South Carolina. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers within the tenth spherical in 2021, and he was known as as much as Nashville — the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate — earlier this season.
He describes himself as a “Man of God” in his X bio and a “Christ follower” on Instagram. On each social media accounts, Clarke references maybe his favourite Bible passage, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the textual content of which he additionally shows as his banner picture on X. It says, “Rejoice at all times, pray regularly, give thanks in all circumstances; for that is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Clarke adopted God’s will for him to endure the sacrament of baptism, an outward signal of the invisible actuality of the brand new life God has given him in Christ.
Hicklen, the person who baptized Clarke and has served as a mentor within the religion for him, walloped his team-leading 16th home run of the season on Saturday within the backside of the primary inning, giving the Sounds a lead they’d by no means relinquish.
No. 1⃣6⃣ for @brewerhicklen 💪 pic.twitter.com/jlD2jIW1fw
— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) July 7, 2024
Only a couple hours later, he had extra to have fun as he carried out his buddy’s baptism. The 28-year-old Hicklen loved a six-game stint in the majors with the Kansas Metropolis Royals in 2022, was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies group in August 2023, after which signed with the Brewers group in November 2023. He believes God positioned him in Nashville for such a time as this.
As a free agent following final season, he was praying about which group to signal with.
“I simply requested God, ‘Place me someplace the place You’re feeling like I may have some affect and have some alternative to make everlasting connections with some teammates,’” Hicklen advised Sports activities Spectrum on Monday.
He felt just like the Brewers group was that place, so he wasted no time in turning into a non secular chief. Hicklen joined the crew’s Bible research group, which he says is now as much as 10-12 contributors after beginning the season with 4 or 5. The group has been learning the E book of Ephesians and discussing the identification of being a Christian man.
Vinny Capra is likely one of the guys Hicklen has gotten to know from the group, and as they had been speaking over breakfast one current morning, the subject of baptism got here up. Capra was raised Catholic and was baptized as a baby, however expressed to Hicklen that he wished to get baptized once more to point out he had made the choice to put his identification in Christ.
Capra later talked about his want to Clarke, who mentioned he too had been desirous about getting baptized. Once they advised Hicklen, he got down to speak with crew administration about what they may do. He had just lately shared about his private religion journey on the Sounds’ Religion and Household Evening, which was held earlier than a recreation on Might 25. He requested if that occasion may very well be finished after a recreation, however crew officers mentioned they didn’t have sufficient time to arrange a postgame occasion.
So, being “a really maximize-the-moment form of man,” Hicklen requested if a baptism ceremony for Capra and Clarke may very well be held on the sphere after a recreation, when a great variety of followers would nonetheless be within the stadium. They mentioned “sure” for July 6.
“So we received a horse trough and simply crammed it up with water from the sphere,” Hicklen mentioned, including, “I’d say in all probability half the stadium stayed. It was fairly cool.”
After Hicklen shared a five-minute Gospel presentation with the gang and defined how they received to this second, he proceeded to baptize Clarke. Capra wasn’t capable of be there as a result of he was known as as much as the Brewers on July 3, however Hicklen thinks they may be capable to do one other baptism for him if he returns to Nashville this season.
Amongst Saturday’s highlights was that each Sounds participant stayed to observe.
“We had a crew assembly earlier than the sport and I used to be like, ‘Hey guys, you could be a Christian, you could not; you could assist what we’re doing, you could not. However I feel it’d be actually cool should you guys had been there to assist Wes as a teammate.’ Everybody was like, ‘Yeah man, we’re all about it.’ So everyone caught round, it was fairly cool. We even had a pair guys from the opposite crew stick round,” Hicklen mentioned.
The opposing catcher and residential plate umpire each advised Hicklen they thought it was cool that they had been doing a baptism ceremony, and the Sounds’ entrance workplace loved it as effectively.
“The assistant GM (Doug Scopel) was like, ‘Man, I’ve been doing this for 25 years and have by no means seen this occur earlier than.’ He was proud of it. The GM (Adam English) texted me after and was like, ‘Man, that was superior.’ It was fairly cool. I had a number of followers e-mail me. It was cool, it was a strong second,” Hicklen mentioned.
He had prayed to “make everlasting connections” with teammates, and “certain sufficient, six months later, God delivered,” Hicklen mentioned.
RELATED STORIES:
– Oklahoma softball celebrates baptism of pitcher Kierston Deal
– Evan Carter huge spark for Rangers, declares ‘Jesus won’
– ‘Child of God’ Drew Beam pitches for Tennessee & his sister at CWS
– Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly gets baptized
– NASCAR’s Aric Almirola shares about his baptism, contentment in Christ
