SE: She’s a Kasey Ford Fan – Lifelong Friendship Inspires K-State Pitcher
May 11, 2021 | Baseball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
The sport and the state were different.
But when Kasey Ford looked into the stands at Tointon Family Stadium earlier this month and saw Morgan England and her family, the smile was the same.
"Before the game, I looked up in the stands and saw them sitting there," he said. "I was like, 'What are you all doing here?' They were like, 'Well we just decided to take a spur-of-the-moment trip to Manhattan to watch you play.' It was a complete surprise."
This sort of thing has happened before. Both Ford and England, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, grew up in Bentonville, Arkansas with a love of sports.
But, her father Larry England explained, she's not just a K-State fan.
"She's a Kasey Ford fan," he said. "We came up about three years ago to watch him play and then life happens. It's tough to take a five-hour road trip and with COVID last year it was hard. But she asked if we could go to a game this year and we told her yes. We planned it and took off."
Their families attend the same church, but this was a friendship that began under the Friday night lights.
"When I played high school football, I saw Morgan on the sidelines. We knew each other, but we hadn't really met, so I just waved and told her I hoped she had a nice night," Ford said. "After the game, her Mom told my Mom how much that meant to her and made her night."
So, Ford made a point, whenever he saw England around Bentonville, to say hello. Those hellos turned into conversations and it wasn't long before those conversations grew into a friendship.
Ford was an easy guy to root for in high school, a two-time all-state pitcher on the Bentonville High baseball team and a two-time state champion on the football team.
Since heading to Manhattan in 2016, he's become one of the most consistent arms on a K-State baseball team with plenty of talented pitching.
Ford was in a backend of the bullpen role throughout most of the 2021 season, but searching for a spark down the stretch, head coach Pete Hughes moved him into the starting rotation.
That's right around the time Morgan and her family planned their trip to Manhattan.
Only problem? The Englands had tickets for Saturday's game - Ford was scheduled to start the series finale against Texas Southern on Sunday afternoon.
"We were coming to support Kasey," Larry England said. "But I talked to his Mom and she said, 'Well, we think he's pitching Sunday.' We figured we could get back to Arkansas at a decent hour, so we went ahead and bought tickets for Sunday's game too."
All Ford did that afternoon was pitch five innings of one-run baseball in a win over Texas Southern. And it wasn't the only highlight of the weekend.
On Saturday, England got the game ball from Hughes as K-State celebrated a series win.
"For him to notice Morgan, he didn't know us, he just heard somebody up there cheering," Larry England said. "Coach Hughes asked if somebody on the team knew her and Kasey was the guy. For him to come over and say something, give her the game ball and then get the whole team in front of the dugout, that was just an awesome experience."
On Sunday, after Ford picked up his first weekend win of the season, England grabbed a photo with her favorite K-State baseball player on the field.
"She's the most genuine person I've ever met," Ford said. "She loves everyone very deeply and it's the same with her family. It was tough during COVID, because of her health issues I didn't want to do anything that might affect her, but every time I'm home I see Morgan and her family. She texts me all the time and lets me know I need to come hang out when I'm home."
For all the moments that made that afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium special, there's one more thing that Larry England would have you know about Ford.
"He's that guy when nobody's looking. When Morgan first met Kasey, he was the starting quarterback of a 7A high school football team and took the time to talk to her," England said. "We have another young man who went to school with him who has autism, and I want people to know the kindness he shows these kids. Kasey Ford is a kind, gentle, awesome young man."
The sport and the state were different.
But when Kasey Ford looked into the stands at Tointon Family Stadium earlier this month and saw Morgan England and her family, the smile was the same.
"Before the game, I looked up in the stands and saw them sitting there," he said. "I was like, 'What are you all doing here?' They were like, 'Well we just decided to take a spur-of-the-moment trip to Manhattan to watch you play.' It was a complete surprise."
This sort of thing has happened before. Both Ford and England, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, grew up in Bentonville, Arkansas with a love of sports.
But, her father Larry England explained, she's not just a K-State fan.
"She's a Kasey Ford fan," he said. "We came up about three years ago to watch him play and then life happens. It's tough to take a five-hour road trip and with COVID last year it was hard. But she asked if we could go to a game this year and we told her yes. We planned it and took off."
Their families attend the same church, but this was a friendship that began under the Friday night lights.
"When I played high school football, I saw Morgan on the sidelines. We knew each other, but we hadn't really met, so I just waved and told her I hoped she had a nice night," Ford said. "After the game, her Mom told my Mom how much that meant to her and made her night."
So, Ford made a point, whenever he saw England around Bentonville, to say hello. Those hellos turned into conversations and it wasn't long before those conversations grew into a friendship.
Enjoy that game ball and we'll see you later at the ballpark 🏟 #KStateBSB pic.twitter.com/aJw8gCpN8t
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) May 2, 2021
Ford was an easy guy to root for in high school, a two-time all-state pitcher on the Bentonville High baseball team and a two-time state champion on the football team.
Since heading to Manhattan in 2016, he's become one of the most consistent arms on a K-State baseball team with plenty of talented pitching.
Ford was in a backend of the bullpen role throughout most of the 2021 season, but searching for a spark down the stretch, head coach Pete Hughes moved him into the starting rotation.
That's right around the time Morgan and her family planned their trip to Manhattan.
Only problem? The Englands had tickets for Saturday's game - Ford was scheduled to start the series finale against Texas Southern on Sunday afternoon.
"We were coming to support Kasey," Larry England said. "But I talked to his Mom and she said, 'Well, we think he's pitching Sunday.' We figured we could get back to Arkansas at a decent hour, so we went ahead and bought tickets for Sunday's game too."
All Ford did that afternoon was pitch five innings of one-run baseball in a win over Texas Southern. And it wasn't the only highlight of the weekend.
On Saturday, England got the game ball from Hughes as K-State celebrated a series win.
"For him to notice Morgan, he didn't know us, he just heard somebody up there cheering," Larry England said. "Coach Hughes asked if somebody on the team knew her and Kasey was the guy. For him to come over and say something, give her the game ball and then get the whole team in front of the dugout, that was just an awesome experience."
On Sunday, after Ford picked up his first weekend win of the season, England grabbed a photo with her favorite K-State baseball player on the field.
One big happy purple family 💜
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) May 2, 2021
We're happy that @kc_ford12 & the 'Cats could bring home the W for Morgan. #KStateBSB pic.twitter.com/Rs5nZ8hSrv
"She's the most genuine person I've ever met," Ford said. "She loves everyone very deeply and it's the same with her family. It was tough during COVID, because of her health issues I didn't want to do anything that might affect her, but every time I'm home I see Morgan and her family. She texts me all the time and lets me know I need to come hang out when I'm home."
For all the moments that made that afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium special, there's one more thing that Larry England would have you know about Ford.
"He's that guy when nobody's looking. When Morgan first met Kasey, he was the starting quarterback of a 7A high school football team and took the time to talk to her," England said. "We have another young man who went to school with him who has autism, and I want people to know the kindness he shows these kids. Kasey Ford is a kind, gentle, awesome young man."
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