Superhero Day

April 28 was National Superhero Day, instituted by Marvil Comics and first celebrated in 1995. The day is all about celebrating heroes who inspire others to be better.  Now deceased,  I had to celebrate mine in absentia. Growing up my superheroes came in two categories: baseball players and preachers. My superhero baseball player was Shortstop Alvin Dark.  He came to our church and spoke at a Royal Ambassador banquet. Having become a Christian at age 11, Dark was a consistent witness all of his life. I still have and treasure an 8×10 black and white picture of him that he personalized with the words, “Good luck, Dan. Al Dark”   The next year he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals and became my hero for life. Many years later, I wrote him a letter thanking him for his impact on my life and received a now lost response note from him. I have every baseball card ever printed of him except his 1948 rookie card which at last check, cost over $700. I tried hard to play Shortstop like him, all my life from Little League through semi-pro and church league softball. My superhero preacher was Dr. R. G. Lee, Pastor of the Bellview Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.  My Dad took me to a conference, to hear Dr. Lee preach his famous sermon, “Payday Someday.”  In the years following , I heard him preach it several times in person, bought the 33 RPM record album, and later the cassette tape. I memorized much of it, but dared not preach it.  I have every book of sermons that he ever published.  I always wanted to preach like him but could never think of enough adjectives. Although I never met him, he was a role model, and a superhero for me. Anyone else celebrate Superhero Day?