I officially start my first vacation of the year today and, Loyal Readers, I come to you hat in hand.

You know the deal all too well, I’m sure, when you return from a vacation and get back to the harsh realities the real-life world presents — going back to work, paying bills, blah, blah, blah.

Well, that leads me directly to the favor I’m asking of you — in relation to sports, what is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you, or that you have personally seen, heard or read about?

Too much to ask, Loyal Readers?

Me thinks not.

It could be anything... an act of kindness, a sporting gesture, putting the team’s needs in front of those of the individual.

You name it, I want to hear, or read, about it.

I’ll even make it easier for you by going first.

I wrote about it a few years ago when I paid tribute to friend and colleague — Karl Pearson — on his birthday, May 23. It happened almost three decades ago, now, but it’s something I’ve never forgotten.

In my senior year at Jefferson, we hosted Southington for a basketball game in the old Falcon Gym. In those days, the Grand River Conference boys basketball title chase was usually a three-horse dogfight between us, Southington and, of course, Pymatuning Valley.

Anyway, to cut to the chase, we won a hammer-and-tong, down-to-the wire clash in front of the bursting-at-the-seams crowd. I was anything but the high scorer — those honors went to our star player, Rick Berrier — and didn’t do anything special. All I did was what was expected of me — handle the ball, get it to the right guy (usually, Rick) in the right spot on the floor and try my best to at least get in someone’s way on defense.

Hardly anything special and certainly nothing that would translate to headlines, quotes or recognition.

But my team won, by schoolmates had screamed themselves hoarse while watching it and I played a role in it happening, albeit a small one.

I was always the last player to leave the locker room and this night was no exception. As I made my way to the cold, snowy night, my path crossed with Karl, who had just finished an interview with our coach, Rick Nemet.

As we passed, Karl said to me, “You played a very fine game tonight, Don. Congratulations.”

With that, Karl headed out the back door of Falcon Gym and I floated on Cloud 9 toward my car.

The simplest of gestures, probably a throwaway line by the kind-hearted Karl, something he has probably said to a thousand youngsters in his 30-plus year career here at the Star Beacon.

But that night, he said it to me... and it’s something I’ve never forgotten and never will.

Of all of the countless athletics yours truly has been involved in, nothing ever moved me more than that sentence by Karl on a bitter winter night in 1981. With what was facing me during that time frame, it meant the world to me.

And still does.

So now, it’s your turn, Loyal Readers. With all the negativity of The Defection and the Indians again occupying the dank, dark corners of the basement of the Comedy Central, and even more so, the passing of more than a few friends and acquaintances in recent months, I could certainly use a pick-me-up, especially when it comes to returning from a vacation.

I’m willing to wager a Diet Coke or three you are, too. We all could use some positive words and I am hopeful you will have some amazing, uplifting tales to tell. It doesn’t have to be anything major. I could be something only seen by your eyes or, in my case thanks to Karl, heard by my ears.

So email me at the address listed at the end of this effort or, if your prefer the snail-method, you can write me at P.O. Box 2100, Ashtabula, Ohio 44005-2100.

Feel free to include photographs, too, but if you do, please make them at least 200 DPI and jpeg in format.

Be sure to put the word “Inspire!” in the slug line of the email or on the address line of the letter and please include your telephone number so if I need or want to talk to you about your tale I can do so. Not to worry, your telephone number will not be published.

Help a sports editor out, Loyal Readers. If you’ve ever made the statement, “All I ever read or hear about is negative news,” here’s your opportunity to right that wrong.

You have a week.

Inspire me... please.

McCormack is the sports editor of the Star Beacon. Read his blog at donmac1.blogspot.com. Reach him at donmac@suite224.net.