NEWTON COUNTY, Georgia -- There were some touching moments before a high school baseball game when a team and its fans remembered a player's father who died.
The father of Michael Hipps Jr., an Eastside High School player, suffered a medical emergency at a game last Friday, was taken to a hospital and died, according to the Newtown County Schools Facebook page.
Eastside fans showed up in force for the next game Wednesday. The team gathered at the pitcher's mound and released green and black balloons in memory of Michael's father.
Then before the first pitch, the leadoff batter, Henry County shortstop Jovaal Hollingshed, left the batter’s box, went to the mound, hugged Michael and shook his hand.
"We salute you, Jovaal Hollingshed. Class act, young man. Class act," said the district.
