You have to admire the classy way Josh Hamilton and the Rangers are honoring the family after this tragedy.

AP reports:

With fans on their feet, many with tears in their eyes, 6-year-old Cooper Stone stood on the pitcher's mound and tossed the ceremonial first pitch of the playoffs to his favorite player, Josh Hamilton.

Cooper is the boy who saw his firefighter father fall to his death while trying to catch a ball thrown to him by Hamilton during a Texas game on July 7. This was his first trip back to Rangers Ballpark, and it came on center stage, with his widowed mother, Jenny, and Rangers president Nolan Ryan by his side.

LM Otero / AP

Cooper Stone, 6, tosses the ceremonial first pitch to Texas Rangers left fielder Josh Hamilton before Game 1 of baseball's American League division series playoffs on Friday, Sept. 30, in Arlington, Texas. It was Hamilton who threw the ball Shannon Stone was reaching for when he fell to his death behind the outfield wall in July.

Tony Gutierrez / AP

After throwing out a ceremonial first pitch, Cooper Stone, 6, talks with Texas Rangers left fielder Josh Hamilton before Game 1 of baseball's American League division series playoffs against the Tampa Bay Rays Friday, Sept. 30, in Arlington, Texas.