Who is Robbie Hanson?

Posted by Troy

September 27, 2006

I originally wrote this post a few days ago, bu quickly hid it.Â Looking at it again, it really is something I want to share.Â So, here it is, mock me if you must.

If you like in Ames, you have probably driven by Northwood Elementary School near North Grand Mall. Now closed, this school has a lot of memories contained on its grounds. The most noticeable from the street is of course the white infield baseball diamond that is almost always occupied by baseball or softball teams, or children playing ball with their parents.

You may have even noticed the sign above the field, or the rock with a plaque near the backstop. Robbie Hanson Ballfield. But who was Robbie Hanson? Was he a professional athlete who once went to Northwood? Was he a famous Ames resident who donated money to the school? No.

Robbie was a fourth grader at Northwood who lived for one thing: baseball. His older brother Jake was a baseball star in the “Little Majors” on team Coca-Cola, and Robbie was soon to follow in his brother’s footsteps.

But it wouldn’t happen.

in 1990, barely into the baseball season, Robbie came to his coaches and complained about seeing double. In a short period of time Robbie was first diagnosed with water-on-the-brain, but later upon further examination was found to have an inoperable brain tumor near the stem of the brain. He would disappear from the games played at Inis Grove park, but return later in the season with marker points painted on his temples to help in chemotherapy. On December 28, 1990 lost his battle with the cancer.

We all gathered for the funeral at Stevens Funeral home near the mall, and afterwards the coaches decided to go to Home Alone, playing at the mall theatre. It was supposed to be a funny movie, but the humor was suddenly cut short by one line from Joe Pesci. “Santa doesn’t visit the funeral parlor.”

He sure doesn’t.

The next Spring they dedicated Robbie Hanson Ballfield, and our Little League team practiced there religiously. Every spring and summer his parents could be seen arranging flowers around the nearby flowerbed around the sign that bears his name.

It’s been 16 years this year. I was barely a Junior in High School at the time. The school board wondered why people fought so hard to keep Northwood and Roosevelt open last year. Our schools are more than just buildings. They are living, breathing places full of memories. The laughter and the crying of all the kids that went there resonate from the walls, from the swings. And from the ballfield. Even though there is now no recess, seeing families continue to use that field always makes me remember. And now everytime you pass that field, so will you.