VIRGINIA BEACH (WTKR) — They can’t pinpoint exactly where but Amy and J.R. Anderson have known for a long time their son Ethan was meant to be a baseball player.
"He just had a gift. He caught that foul ball," Amy said, referring to a Boston Red Sox game the family attended during Ethan's childhood.
"He caught a foul ball during the game with his hat," J.R. said.
"All these grown men are clamoring for this foul ball and he just went for it," Amy said. "I was like, 'That's a sign.'"
A talent he’s shown again and again. It started flashing at Cox High School, helping lead the Falcons to a state championship in 2021.
He then left for the University of Virginia, graduating high school early to play for the Cavaliers. This season, Anderson is part of a lineup that has become an offensive force in college baseball. The sophomore first baseman has a .377 batting average with 14 home runs and 65 runs batted in.
"He hits a home run from the right side, then turns around and hits one from the left side," Amy said. "It's pretty amazing."
The skills his family saw from an early age will now be on display when the Wahoos play in the College Baseball World Series this weekend.
"It's been a really fun ride that's culminating with us driving out to see him play in Omaha," J.R. said.
Before Ethan’s baseball career took off on the diamond, the one constant he always had was family. A family measured by sacrifice: his father J.R. served for 27 years as a Navy SEAL.
J.R.'s journey as a Navy SEAL spanned internationally. Ethan was born in Hawaii, and his family moved throughout Europe before jumping between places like Tampa, Boston, and Virginia Beach during his life.
"They grew up moving as a way of life," J.R. said. Ethan is the younger of two kids. His older sister Emma is a student at James Madison University. "Some tours go 18 months, one time we lived in a place for only six months and then we moved again."
Something that helped them was the Navy SEAL Foundation, which offers critical support for the warriors, veterans, and families of Naval Special Warfare.
"Trips to summer camps to give my mother a break when she had to take care of us over the summer," Ethan said. "They gave us tutors, helped out with scholarships. Just little things while we were growing up."
As the era of collegiate athletes profiting off name, image and likeness began, Ethan saw an opportunity.
"He'd just done some activities to get his first NIL check," J.R. remembered. "I asked him, 'Any plans for that, any thoughts?'" And he just looked straight ahead and said, 'I'll probably just give it to the foundation.'"
"I wanted to give it away to the Navy SEAL Foundation and give to them what they gave to my family," Ethan said.
J.R. and Amy were shocked but not surprised by their son's generosity.
"I think he sees the bigger picture," Amy said. "He's a pretty wise kid."
"He's grateful and his exact words were, 'They helped us out so much, I want to give it back to them,'" J.R. said.
There’s plenty of memorabilia the Andersons have kept from Ethan's baseball career. Helmets of teams he’s played for across the country, bats, trophies, lineup cards.
On his bedroom wall, however, a flag hangs that means more than anything.
"The first Navy Jack. It flew above our headquarters in Afghanistan for nearly a year," J.R. explained. "Ethan wanted it in his room and so it's hung above his bed for the last seven years or so, whenever we've moved."
A flag that brings back memories of selflessness for J.R. during his time serving. Now he watches his son show that same quality using the gift he and Amy remember identifying so many years ago.
"He believes he's gotten the tools to pursue his passion," J.R. said. "He wants to encourage others to stay on that bath."
Virginia plays Florida on Friday at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN. The Cavaliers are the seventh overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
