Brewers closer John Axford’s streak of 49 consecutive saves ended on Friday. Axford had to leave the stadium before speaking with the media after the game, but he had a good reason: his wife had gone into premature labor. Yet he was kind enough to leave a note for the media addressing his performance.

ESPN Playbook has leaned on its dubious sources, who subsequently unearthed similar notes from other athletes. Take a look:

Illustration by Kurt Snibbe