Glen Of Scotland

Perfect Game

I recently wrote about I movie I enjoyed called the Perfect Game, based on the perfect game pitched by the little league team from Mexico in 1957.

At the professional level in baseball there have been only 18 perfect games pitched in major league baseball dating back to 1880. Each team plays at least 162 games a season so it gives you an idea how rare this feat is.

Interestingly this year there have already been 2 perfect games in the same month officially and 3 within 30 days unofficially.

Is there a connection between the movie being out, maybe not as it wasn't widely seen or is the 4 minute mile effect after Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile barrier and others followed suit quickly thereafter, or a combination of both. Makes you wonder.

At the time of writing this the unofficial perfect game is that, the umpire blew the call for what would have been the last out, but for that if was a perfect game. The pitcher, Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers, knew he had the out and was graceful at the end of game. Here is a great quote from a reporter, the last paragraph is something to remember for everyone, especially those seeking perfection and those demanding perfection:

 

Galarraga pitched a perfect game on Wednesday night in Detroit. I’ll always believe that. I think most baseball fans will always believe that. But, more than anything, it seems that Galarraga will always believe it. The way he handled himself after the game, well, that was something better than perfection. Dallas Braden’s perfect game was thrilling. Roy Halladay’s perfect game was art. But Armando’s Galarraga’s perfect game was a lesson in grace.

And when my young daughters ask, “Why didn’t he get mad and scream about how he was robbed?” I think I will tell them this: I don’t know for sure, but I think it’s because Armando Galarraga understands something that is very hard to understand, something we all struggle with, something I hope you will learn as you grow older: In the end, nobody’s perfect. We just do the best we can"

Joe Posnanski

Not to be forgotten either is the fact the umpire after seeing the replay, immediately, owned the fact he made a mistake and apologized to the pitcher, a rare thing these days too.

Another Inspiring Movie

I highly recommend you go see the movie "The Perfect Game" it's a little league baseball movie based on the true story of the  1957 Monterrey, Mexican team that came to the USA to play baseball. They walked 10 miles from the US border in Texas to play their first game.

Take your kids they will have a great time, they will see anything is possible, no matter what your circumstances are. They will learn about focus (Hummingbird) and team matters and that people appreciate a good performance not just then also today. You can see the movie trailer here.

You may have seen or heard of the Butler University college basketball team, the made it to the finals of the college championships. Small college with under 5,000 students, young coach who practices team first and is unflappable, creates a calming influence for his team. Came within 1 shot of winning it all and had a good chunk of the country rooting for them.

There are a lot of things that cause the young and old too to feel there is not much hope in these times. It's during these moments that we can grasp hope from the above examples.

Anything is possible, at any time under any circumstances, any where. For those kids in Mexico it started as a dream, and everyone can at least dream.

Wouldn't it be nice if......

My favorite football writer, Peter King of Sports Illustrated also doubles a softball coach for a girls team in New Jersey. He mentioned their website this week and I thought you might like to read the team philosophy, which is below, the website is here. Wouldn't it be nice if other teams, players, and parents followed this?

Our Philosophy
We enjoy winning. Everyone does. But we are not playing at this level to have a great record. We’re playing to get our girls to be good softball players. If our players have gotten markedly better than they were at the beginning of the year, then the season will have been a success. Some players will play the whole game. Some will play a couple of innings. We will put you in the position we think can best help the team. As players, do not beg to play certain positions. Play where we tell you to play, and do the best you can. Don’t complain. Ever. Complainers do not get rewarded. They get penalized. If we think it’s best for the team that you play left field, run to left field and play it eagerly. Your attitude, as well as your ability, will determine how much you play.

We won’t yell at players. We will try to teach them. Yelling isn’t teaching. Errors will happen; the best shortstop of our lifetime, Cal Ripken, once made three in a game. Strikeouts will happen; Barry Bonds once struck out five times in a game. Players: If you make an error, figure out why you made it and become determined to fix that mistake the next time. Same thing with a strikeout. Don’t sulk. Remember: The best batters fail seven times out of every 10 times up   As a team, our hallmark will be class. Players will hustle to and from positions at all times. Players will play with neat, tucked-in jerseys, clean uniforms and hats. We will never argue with an umpire. We will never throw equipment. And I mean never. If you throw equipment, you sit for a full game, and maybe more. We will be the most sportsmanlike team of any we meet. We will never direct negative cheers against the other team, no matter what the other team is saying about us. (And sometimes, they might be saying negative things about us. You just accept it, not bark back at them, and be classy.)

Players, there will be times this year where someone else will be playing the position you want to play, or batting in the spot in the batting order where you really want to be. Never cheer against her, or root against her so your position on the team will be improved. We are a team here. We cheer for every teammate enthusiastically. When the team wins, we all win.   Every time you step on the field with the Bear uniform on—whether you win or lose, whether you strike out or hit a home run—make your parents and friends and coaches proud of your behavior, attitude and approach to the game, no matter what the score is.