Ed Willson has a jar filled with dirt sitting on his desk. For more than 40 years, Mr. Willson has been a fan of the minor league baseball team in Eugene, Ore., the Emeralds, and a season-ticket holder for 22 seasons. “It was a serious heartbreak,” Mr. Willson said. After the fire, Mr. Willson made a pilgrimage to the scorched diamond, where he filled a plastic bag with dirt from the pitcher’s mound that he considered sacred. Nine years later, the dirt is still on Mr. Willson’s desk.

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Persons: Ed Willson, Willson, ” Mr Organizations: Emeralds, Civic, Major League Baseball’s Locations: Eugene ,