Brewers Pitcher Fulfills Childhood Pledge To Bring Beloved Seafood Stand To The Masses

Hello, greetings from "wow, only Thursday," as this weekday should be officially renamed. Need to be casually, gently delighted by something? We've got you. To be more accurate, Jared Diamond of the The Wall Street Journal has got you, with this charming story about Jeremy Jeffress. An All-Star relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, Jeffress recently purchased a food truck, which will set up around Milwaukee and outside Miller Park, the Brewers' home stadium, all summer; the grand opening for JJ's Bread & Butter is slated for May 5.

That's fun, but it's just the beginning. Diamond's piece explains why this is a project that appeals to Jeffress, and when the idea first took root. The pitcher grew up in a small town in Virginia called South Boston, where he played baseball (shocking) at a park close to home, and where he was frequently distracted by the aroma of freshly fried fish. Understandably! Here's Diamond on the source of that smell, and what it led Jeffress to pledge to both himself and others:

Jeffress always loved Breedlove's, the namesake local seafood joint that Breedlove Ford started nearly four decades ago as a stand at the Halifax County Fair. Everybody in South Boston loves Breedlove's. Jeffress always believed that Ford's cooking deserved a bigger stage. He vowed that if he ever made it big, he'd find a way to give it one.

And so he is. Alfred Ford, son of Breedlove Ford, is a friend from childhood, and will man the fryer, making it possible for Milwaukee residents to try the fish, shrimp, and scallops that played such a big role in the lives of both men. Ford never believed Jeffress would follow through on his promise, but now, with the original recipes and blessing of Breedlove Ford, they're making it happen.

They're also managing to help others in the process, as a portion of of the proceeds from the truck will benefit epilepsy-related charities (Jeffress has epilepsy). I'm not doing the story its total justice; I encourage you to read it in full, and then join me in wishing that food truck were parked down the street right this second.