Pulling Each Other Along

Dave Clark contracted polio shortly after he was born. As a boy he discovered that play put him on equal terms with his able-bodied classmates. He may have worn leg braces, but he could still hit a baseball or stop a hockey puck. Play helped him become one of the kids, instead of the kid that stood out because of the crutches which were his constant companions. In his new book Diamond in the Rough: The Dave Clark Story, Dave shares a number of stories about the transformative power of play. Whether it was climbing the rope in gym class when no other kid could or growing up to become a professional knuckleball pitcher, Dave found that play changed his life.

Play also connects us. Here's a link to a video of Dave telling an incredible story about a classmate named Ernie Pound who used a Radio Flyer wagon and a seemingly small act of graciousness to impact Dave forever. 48 years later, Ernie surprises Dave at his book signing!