For baseball player Patrick Wisdom, supporting St. Jude is ‘bigger than the game’

Nicole was at work when the text arrived from Patrick Wisdom’s wife, Caroline, and it brought good news about the Major League Baseball player who befriended her son in 2018.

And yet Nicole could feel the tears coming. Wisdom, a power hitter for the Chicago Cubs, had been nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award for community service — in part for his support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and kids like her Braxton.  

She could only hand her phone to her co-workers at the dentist office in the small town outside of Nashville. They knew how much Wisdom meant to Braxton, Nicole’s late son, when he was going through treatment at St. Jude for medulloblastoma. They had seen the photos of Wisdom on the field wearing a yellow #BraxtonStrong bracelet to remind him of Braxton and also the joy the game of baseball can provide.

Nicole is aware of how Wisdom devotes himself to other worthy causes, often on road trips with teammates. But Wisdom’s continuing commitment to St. Jude, including fundraising and hosting patients for visits to storied Wrigley Field, made news of the nomination even more moving. 

She’ll be among the many St. Jude families voting for Wisdom in the online competition — and encouraging others to do the same — through the end of the season on Sept. 29 at MLBTogether.com/clemente21.

“I can’t think of anybody that deserves it more,” Nicole said. “He helped Braxton so much — brightened his days, helped take the sadness away. And just made him feel like a normal kid who shared his love for a simple, all-American sport.” 

Bonding over baseball 

The annual Roberto Clemente Award recognizes the MLB player who “best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.” The Hall of Famer, known for his devotion to humanitarian causes, died in a plane crash in 1972 while bringing relief supplies to Central America after an earthquake.  

When Clemente is remembered each season on Sept. 15, all players feature a “21” patch on their jersey sleeves — Clemente’s number for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wisdom, the nominee for the Cubs, had the honor of wearing the number 21 on the back of his jersey.

“Looking at the past nominees and winners and what that award entails, to be mentioned alongside those individuals and Roberto Clemente, it’s pretty special,” Wisdom said. “It is really humbling, really gratifying.” 

As a St. Jude Ambassador, Wisdom has hosted St. Jude families at Wrigley Field, including in August along with another MLB St. Jude supporter, Minnesota Twins pitcher Randy Dobnak. 

Brody, a St. Jude cancer survivor and Cubs fan from Illinois, had connected with Dobnak when he was going through treatment. Just stepping onto Wrigley Field, Brody said, was a great honor, and for his family, seeing the MLB players bond with their son over baseball was priceless. 

The impact made by the support of Wisdom and Dobnak has meant the family could focus on Brody during his three-year cancer journey, knowing they would never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. 

Baseball has been a refuge for Brody, entering high school now and back on the field as an outfielder, third baseman and pitcher.  

“When he was really sick, Brody still wanted to try to play. He would say, ‘Even if I can only make it for just one inning,’” recalled his mother, Lisa.  “As we watched him fight through the hardship, nausea and pain, we saw signs of happiness when he would put on his uniform, lace up his baseball cleats and join his team on the field.”  

When the Cubs are on the road, Wisdom leads participation in service events organized by the foundation of a mentor when he first made the big leagues — former St. Louis Cardinals’ all-star pitcher Adam Wainwright. They range from helping at food banks and homeless shelters to visiting  sick children.  

“It’s my first little taste of the big leagues and seeing Adam Wainwright spearhead the charitable work, going with him and seeing the impact — that was just really cool and inspiring,” Wisdom said. “I’m just grateful to have this platform and take advantage of the power that comes with it.”

His support of St. Jude has remained the anchor of Wisdom’s charitable endeavors. 

The California native first learned of the St. Jude mission when he played for the Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals’ top minor-league affiliate, from 2016-18. He joined a group of players that visited patients and toured the St. Jude campus, which is about a mile from the team’s AutoZone Park home.

“It’s when I learned that families don’t have to pay a dime (and) that the research is shared out,” Wisdom said. “Those kids are so innocent and young and don’t deserve what they’ve been given. The staff there, from the nurses and doctors and everyone involved, how they care for and lift up the kids — it’s truly inspiring.” 

During the 2018 season, Wisdom hosted a St. Jude patient for a pre-game behind-the-scenes experience at AutoZone Park. It was Braxton, then 7, who had come to St. Jude in the winter of 2018 for treatment of medulloblastoma, a kind of brain cancer.

Braxton became a regular with the Redbirds, often welcomed by the team into the dugout and on the field before games.  

“I think he helped me as much as I hoped I helped him,” Wisdom said. “It gives you perspective on life, knowing that we just play a game but there are things out there that are bigger than the game.”

Late in the 2018 season, Wisdom was promoted to the Cardinals. But the following winter, Braxton suffered setbacks, and the brain cancer worsened.  

That offseason, Wisdom was traded to the Texas Rangers, which has a Class AAA affiliate in Nashville, not far from Nicole and Braxton’s hometown. Braxton passed away in May of 2019, but not before a few final visits with Wisdom at the Nashville Sounds ballpark.

“Baseball was all my son wanted to do,” Nicole said. “So that was a highlight, during that time. Patrick going to the Rangers and playing down for the Sounds, to me that was a God thing.”  

His newest fan

In interviews about the Roberto Clemente Award, Wisdom always mentions Braxton’s influence — and still wears the #BraxtonStrong bracelet inscribed with the words “Faith. Hope. Strength.” 

He and his wife, Caroline, now have three children, ages 5 and under, which he says deepens his appreciation for how support helps St. Jude advance work toward cures and better treatments of catastrophic pediatric diseases.

On the Monday night when the Cubs marked Roberto Clemente Day, Wisdom and the Cubs hosted another St. Jude patient, Misheel. It was her first-ever baseball game, although she had done the artwork for cleats and batting gloves custom-designed for Wisdom on this special night. 

Treated at St. Jude for brain cancer, Misheel’s unique talent involves making balloon animals, a skill learned from her godfather. She was making them and handing them out at Wrigley Field, including one teddy bear very similar to the Cubs logo.

When Misheel encountered Wisdom, she had news. 

“I’m feeling very good now,” she told him.  

Whatever happens with fan voting for the Roberto Clemente Award — the winner is announced during the World Series — Wisdom said he’s just grateful to bring attention to St. Jude and kids like Braxton, Brody and Misheel.

“For me, it’s not about the recognition at all,” Wisdom said. “It’s about spreading more joy and positivity and goodness to the world.”