A decade ago, in the days after he signed the Pittsburgh Pirates, Gerrit Cole had a plan. His bonus was $ 8 million, a substantial reward for design # 1. He wanted to thank the two people in charge: his parents.
Mark and Sharon Cole were enthusiastic, caring, and patient. They taught their son to accept life, be curious and thoughtful, and enjoy the precious moments. Mark had taught his son how to throw a baseball under the orange County cloudless sky. Sharon taught him the importance of a classic Italian red sauce. They gave him emotional (and financial) support at UCLA for three years.
So Cole first decided to buy his mother a red BMW convertible. The gift was a surprise; it was also the obvious. His mother had wanted a red convertible for years. His father, a senior medical officer with a doctorate. and an analytical streak would never seek a depreciating asset.
The second gift had to be something that …
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