Baseball greats inducted
Last weekend, two of baseball’s greatest players
– in my eyes – were inducted into Major League Baseball’s Hall
of Fame. Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn did not get into the Hall
of Fame because they had superstar careers – they were inducted
because they played the game of baseball the way it should be
played.
Baseball greats inducted
Last weekend, two of baseball’s greatest players – in my eyes – were inducted into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn did not get into the Hall of Fame because they had superstar careers – they were inducted because they played the game of baseball the way it should be played.
Ripken and Gwynn played with heart; they played with passion; they had fun and they always tried their hardest.
Ripken and Gwynn are the last of an era. They are some of the last players who will get in because of their love of the game. There are a few still out there, but not many who respect the game for what it is remain. Craig Biggio and Albert Pujols come to mind.
“If you want something and you want to compete and you want to be successful,” Gwynn said, during his induction speech, “You’ve got to get out there and you’ve got to try. You’re never going to find out sitting at home.”
“(Baseball) can be a huge developmental tool for life,” Ripken said, at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “Just think – teamwork, leadership, work ethic and trust are all part of the game and are also all factors in how we make the most of our lives. So the essential part of the job (of playing baseball) is to help the young people of today learn these lessons so they can live better lives tomorrow.”
Ripken and Gwynn are idols. They signified all of the essentials needed in life. They were the definition of teamwork. They were both leaders on and off the field and they always worked harder than any other athlete on the field. They are the types of players you want your kids to grow up to be like – whether it is on the baseball diamond or in every day life.
Just last week, Hollister’s own all-star team – the Hollister National 9 and 10-year-old team – competed in the state championship. They finished two runs shy of being named the best team in the state.
Instead of allowing them to look down on themselves and disbelieving in their abilities, the rest of the community should encourage the team to keep going and keep trying.
Losing is not what matters. They tried their hardest. They played fair. They believed in themselves and they played as a team. The championship may not have ended as they hoped – but that doesn’t mean they were not good enough.
“I worked hard in the game because I had to,” Gwynn said. “I wasn’t talented enough to just get by on billing. I really had to work at it. I had to go about business and do things the way I did. People make a big deal about work ethic, and we’re supposed to. That is what they pay us for.”
As long as you push your kids to be the best they can be and to work hard at everything they do, they will be just that.
If your kids want to be good baseball players, help them believe they can be. All they have to do is believe and work hard.
Push them to be like the Ripkens and Gwynns of baseball – push them to respect the game for what it is. Teach them to play like the greats of our recent past. Teach them teamwork and trust and respect. Teach them to love the game.
These are all things Ripken and Gwynn are known for.
Yeah, Ripken had a consecutive games streak.
Yeah, Gwynn had more than 3,000 hits in his career.
But that is not why they are great. They are great because they enjoyed playing the game and they played it the right way.
If your kids play and act like Ripken and Gwynn did, they too may someday be greats – whether it is playing baseball, or just living life to its fullest.
