Last week the Yankees were in Kansas City for the Royals home opener and I had the opportunity to visit with Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees setup man and the only pitcher in Cornhusker history with a college World Series win. He was on top of the world. He talked about how excited he was looking forward to the series and being able to pitch in front of friends and family so close to home. His father Harlan was with him and spent time with him on the field before the game. For a family that had a rough go of it, it looked as if things had finally turned around for them. How quickly things change in a week.
Joba is back in Lincoln after he found out late Sunday that his father collapsed at his home and is in serious condition. That’s all of the information that a spokesperson for St. Elizabeth’s Regional Medical Center in Lincoln will say. Nebraska baseball coach Mike Anderson visited Joba and his father Monday in the hospital.
“We cannot express how much we appreciate the enormous amount of love and compassion that has been shown to my family by so many.” Joba Chamberlain said in a statement released by the New York Yankees.