Every Day is Mother’s Day for Phillies’ Jerome Williams

For Philadelphia Phillies starter, every fifth day is Mother's Day.

The 33-year old Hawaiian born major league hurler honors his mother with a pink glove he bought during his pitching days in Taiwan some five years ago every time he takes the mound.

Deborah, Williams' mother, died of breast cancer in 2001 and while Williams was trying to resurface in the majors, he stumbled upon a pink baseball glove in Taiwan.

Williams was able to purchase that glove to commemorate breast cancer and make it back to the major leagues that next season with Anaheim in 2011.

"She was my freaking scorekeeper, my coach, team mom. She did everything," Williams told Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer Matt Breen.

Williams mother suffered from two diagnoses of the deadly disease, the first coming in 1998 and the second coming in 2000 while Williams was in the minor leagues.
She succumbed to the cancer in March 2011.

"She was my best friend through thick and thin, she always backed me up on everything," Williams said.

Williams has admitted that life without his mother has been difficult for him, bouncing around major league baseball -- and the world with no cheerleader.

According to the story, the original pink glove is sitting atop his mantle at home, while he has three others at his locker for game use. The name "Deborah" is stitched in white across the thumb.

The full story can be read here.