(I originally wrote this article in 2013, and thought was worth repeating. Hope you enjoy.)
I love baseball.
I mean, I’ve always enjoyed the game, but in the last few years, I’ve really come to appreciate it on many different levels. And I’ve come to understand what many others have tried to say before: that there is wisdom we can learn from baseball that translates directly into a well-lived life.
For one thing, I love the more-realistic expectations of baseball, especially compared to other sports. The best hitter who ever lived (Ted Williams), in the best season he ever had (1941), had a batting average of .406. That means that six times out of ten when he came up to bat, he FAILED to hit the ball. Can you imagine a successful wide receiver who dropped six passes out of every ten thrown to him? Not likely.
The truth is, many of us fail more often than we succeed. Success in life is measured, though, not by how many times we fail, but by how many times we get back up and keep trying.
Another thing about baseball – you have to focus on the situation at hand. You can only play one game at a time. Learn to stay in the moment, and don’t worry too much about the past or the future. When you make an error, shake it off, and be ready for the next ball hit to you.
Jesus said we should keep our priorities straight – seeking God’s Kingdom above all else – and not to worry too much about tomorrow. He taught us to pray and ask for our daily bread. Daily.
Along those same lines, if you have a really bad game – or for that matter, a really good one – always remember, there’s another game tomorrow. So be ready for it.
I love the teamwork that a well-disciplined ball club shows. I mean, certainly I understand that teamwork is a part of football, basketball, etc. They are, after all, called TEAM sports. And of course I realize that no running back is going to do very well without a good line blocking for him. But – to me, there is unmatched beauty and elegance in watching an infield execute a beautiful 6-4-3 double play (the ball goes from shortstop to second base to first). These guys have practiced so long and so effectively together, they make it look easy and effortless. And I assure you, it is not.
Even something seemingly simple like a fielder hitting the cutoff man, who fires to the catcher, to cut down a runner coming home – such things take mind-numbing hours of work and skill to accomplish.
You have to trust your teammates. A pitcher has to trust the fielders behind him, to provide good defense. Fielders have to trust that pitchers will make quality pitches. So in life. Surround yourself with Godly companions, and support each other.
Some other principles from baseball that apply to life:
- Realize that sometimes, the ball just takes a bad hop on you.
- There’s a time for preparation, and a time for performance.
- Even the best players will sometimes have an off day. And even the most average player will sometimes have the game of his life. (Quick: Name the first Texas Ranger player to hit for the cycle.)
- Every team is going to win 54 games; every team is going to lose 54 games. It’s what you do with the other 54 games that counts.
- Blown calls and bad trades are part of baseball. You have to learn to deal with it.
- Sometimes you have to take one for the team.
- Play with passion. Don’t be afraid to dive for the ball. It’s okay to get dirt on your uniform.
- There’s a time to bunt, and a time to swing for the fences. Each is valuable in its appropriate place.
- Make the most of the opportunities that you have. Don’t waste good chances; you don’t know how many you’ll get.
- The bigger the situation, the more you need to relax. Too much tension is never good.
- You can’t steal first.
- You win some; you lose some; some get rained out.
- Above all else – the main thing is always to get safely home.
(Oh, and by the way – it was Oddibe McDowell, Ranger center fielder, playing at old Arlington Stadium on July 23, 1985, against the Indians.)
Sharing a Sip with Dusty Garison 