Going for a big win

Thirteen-year-old A.J. Vagliani is lying in his hospital bed with the television remote hidden beneath him.

The Stella Maris catcher wants to watch SportsCenter on ESPN, but moments earlier, he promised his mom, Terry, that she could have the television for an hour of soaps. Conspiring to still have his way, A.J. tells his dad, Mark, "Take the remote and hide it from her."

A.J.’s playful spirit belies his serious situation.

He has been a cancer patient at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for the last month – spending all but two days in intensive care.

Two months ago, A.J., of 10th and Porter streets, began to feel some discomfort, as if he had pulled a muscle. A week later, when the pain didn’t go away, A.J. was sent for a chest X-ray to check for a cracked rib. He was diagnosed with pneumonia; the doctors noticed a few spots on his liver and prescribed an antibiotic.

A catcher for the South Jersey Sting, a travel baseball team, A.J. was still determined to play. He hit two singles to the outfield in his last game with the Sting on June 11 despite struggling with his breathing.

On June 14, doctors told A.J. and his family that the spots were still on his liver and had spread to his lungs. They also told them it was cancer.

Instead of starting the season with his neighborhood team, the Delaware Valley Athletic Association Pirates, A.J. was admitted to CHOP. Doctors wanted to put in a central line for chemotherapy, but an echocardiogram showed the teen had a tumor blocking one of his heart valves, meaning he could not receive anesthesia for the procedure. A.J. was then moved to the intensive care unit.

He has missed much over the last month, including watching his favorite team – the Boston Red Sox – play at Fenway Park with his dad, and going to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for next week’s Amateur Athletic Union Tournament with the South Jersey-based Vincentown Reds.

A.J.’s battle has included two rounds of chemotherapy – without anesthesia – on June 17, and another two on July 1. He also has needed blood transfusions to help build his white blood-cell count. The athlete, who previously lost his hair from alopecia as a first-grader, said the chemo is making him feel sick to his stomach. On Tuesday, he turned down a hospital lunch that included chocolate pudding.

A.J. will have more tests this week to check if the tumors have shrunk and to help determine his course of treatment.

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A.J. IS USING baseball as his motivation to recover and stay optimistic.

"Next summer I’ll be back on the field," he said. "I’ll be practicing by my birthday [Oct. 6]."

As if to show he is serious, A.J. has his father toss him a baseball so he can do some exercises.

"It’s not too easy to throw with an IV in here," said the catcher, who has traveled to Cooperstown, Walt Disney World and Maryland for baseball tournaments.

Mark and Terry Vagliani, who are spending their days and nights at the hospital, said they are feeding off their son’s positive energy to stay strong.

"This kid just has unbelievable heart," Mark said. "You can teach people how to throw a curveball and how to hit a home run, but you can’t teach a kid to have heart."

The community is also rallying around A.J., who will enter the eighth grade at Stella Maris in September. That includes South Philadelphia native and former major-league catcher John Marzano, who called the hospital to chat with A.J. during the 610 WIP midday show while he was guest hosting. A few minutes into the conversation, Marzano announced, "I am the second-best catcher to come out of South Philly."

On Saturday from 7-11 p.m., friends will sponsor a benefit with food and a silent auction for A.J. at Stella Maris School Hall, 814 Bigler St. Tickets are $20. Christina Scoleri, who taught A.J. in third, fourth and seventh grades, is helping organize the event.

When she heard about her student’s illness last month, Scoleri said her initial reaction was "no way."

"I just melted. It was a terrible feeling," she added.

Sister Samantha, 15, who is taking care of the house, makes daily trips to the hospital to check in on her little brother.

"She helps me a lot," A.J. said. "She helps me get through it, and tells me I’ll be OK."

Mark said the support from the community has been unbelievable.

"There are no words that can express our thanks, there really aren’t," he said.

When Terry makes trips home during the day, so many people stop and ask about A.J., it takes her three hours to get back and forth.

Those from beyond the neighborhood have reached out as well. The New York Mets sent A.J. an autographed baseball from Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter and a wooden bat from All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran. The mementos sit by the window of A.J.’s hospital room, next to the autographed baseballs from the three teams for which he plays.

The person to whom the Vaglianis sold their Red Sox tickets had a bat made for A.J., complete with his name stamped on the lumber.

The support has boosted A.J. so much, he hopes to be well enough to play Catholic Youth Organization football with the St. Monica Wildcats, a consolidated South Philly team. Terry said the squad is setting aside her son’s jersey in case he gets medical clearance by the fall.

In the meantime, he’ll keep watching SportsCenter at least four times a day, and favorite shows Seinfeld and The Simpsons.

Earlier this week, A.J. caught his favorite major-league sluggers in the All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby. He rooted for David Ortiz of the Red Sox and Ivan Rodriguez of the Detroit Tigers.

But for a young athlete, watching games on television just doesn’t have the same thrill.

"I want to be out there playing," A.J. said.

The Friends for Andrew Vagliani benefit will take place Saturday, 7-11 p.m., at Stella Maris School Hall, 814 Bigler St. Tickets are $20. Call Sharon Iannace, 215-687-0103, or Christina Scoleri, 267-978-5851.