Baseball as a game of miracles

(CBS News) The Secret Service may be dominating the "sporting" news, but let us not overlook a more reassuring sports development: Baseball season is off to another wonderful start.

To those who speak of golf as a religious experience, I say no - that's why we have baseball.

So I was delighted to read in The New York Times yesterday that not only have others seen the light, so to speak, but New York University is offering a for-credit course taught by NYU's President John Sexton called "Baseball as a Road to God."

Some criticize the game for being slow, but Dr. Sexton told the Times that its slowness allows us to notice the specialness of life - and even what may be beyond.

Well, of course it does.

To me, baseball's great lesson is how to deal with failure. In baseball as in life, even the best fail more often than they succeed. The .300 hitter fails to get a hit seven out of 10 times!

But baseball teaches that over the long season, if you put your daily losses aside, go back to the ball park the next day and play the game right, you'll win your share of games.

Baseball also produces its share of miracles. In case you hadn't noticed, the Washington Nationals are leading their division, and yesterday, Phil Humber of the Chicago White Sox pitched a perfect game - no one reached first base.

And the most amazing of all, last week 49-year-old Jamie Moyer of the Colorado Rockies became the oldest major league pitcher ever to win a ball game.

It is worth noting that, after each game, Moyer thanks the home plate umpire if he thinks he's done a good job calling balls and strikes.

Another lesson that goes beyond the ball park!

[bcohon]

Bob Schieffer,
Thank you for talking baseball this morning (10/7). Particularly for the discussion about pitching 9 innings. I miss those games. You might know about Johnny Vandermeer's back to back no-hitters in 1938. I saw the first one, at Crosley Field. I was 12 years old. What a great game. Now too often I see an effective starter pulled in the 7th inning, and a reliever let in 3 runs. What TV also does for us is show up many bad calls. How about an open discussion of major league umpiring rules?
Anyway, you gave this fan an enjoyable show. And for this viewer it was a welcome relief from all the political BS of this disgusting campaign. So a double thanks!
Barry Cohon

[fantod-2009]

I like baseball as much as the next guy. I understand how people can get excited when something incredible happens. But pitching a perfect game or thanking an umpire do not constitute miracles. Get real. It's just a game. A very fun game, but a game nonetheless. Out-of-the-ordinary things happen in this game. Talented people make amazing plays. It's a game that teaches kids great lessons about fair play, and learning how to lose graciously. However, it's also a game filled with bad losers and mean spirited jerks. There are oodles of poorly made plays, errors, and brain-farted "duh" situations. But turning the whole sport into some religious experience is a bit silly. Claiming it to be a path to god or salvation sounds like an SNL skit!

Play the game. Have fun! Jump up and down! But, really, get a grip.

[CJWhiteWTCIN]

Good afternoon Bob, It's game on with fantod09. We are all miracles of life from beyond the ball park. Individual jumping up and down miracles of God,...capitalized. I say the NYU class "Baseball as a Road to God" will be a full one on day one! Skeptics will be welcomed to sign up too.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

by AnnieDanny April 25, 2012 12:42 AM EDT
Does it give everybody else an excuse to be lazy about our spiritual obligations?
---
"Spiritual obligations" are taken on by those who choose to be subservient.

[CJWhiteWTCIN]

Well said Bob and ball fielding miracles are like out of the park home runs! The above teachings from AnnieDanny need my God Blessed example. Baseball is full of miracles and if your Guardian Angel makes assists for any team from youth to professional, the crowd will roar. Here is the one I wished for as a Little Leaguer...

Picture this; A night time Colt League game behind the old school with about 100 folks watching back in 1965.

We had never beat the best Fort Branch team (Vendall) being played. We always won over the other team (EMGE) from the same neighboring town. It was the 6th inning and we led 7 to 6 with two outs. The tying run was on 2nd base. I played first base and prepared to defend against their first baseman at bat.

The pitch was low and he slammed an in bound low liner parallel to the foul line. I moved left to try a catch with my big red Taiwan made first baseman's glove and I missed it. And now the miracle begins....

I turned left over the foul line! I threw down my glove! I pulled out my floppy billfold from my rear hip pocket! I threw off my cap! I headed into right field as fast as I could run! I yelled at the fully capable right fielder, "Danny I've got it!" Danny was charging the ball and stopped well short in amazement. He stayed put allowing me the still rolling ball which I grabbed with my right hand!

Time out for this note; Our school's custodian mowed the grass all cut around 4-5" with his International Cub tractor. This friction on the ball gave me a chance to catch up to it. But I did not think about that factor. I was mad at myself for missing the ball!

I turned around and yelled loudly, "Jerry!" Our catcher already knew the baseball was coming his way. My eyes were blurry with wind tears from my adrenalin enhanced run. I reared back and threw to home plate around 180-200 feet in a try to nullify the tying run.

The ball was not cut off by Darrell our smart second baseman. It flew shoulder high all the way dead centered into Jerry's unmoving glove placed chest high. He turned to meet the runner. The runner didn't slide hoping a collision would dislodge the ball. A huge dust cloud arose as I watched with clearing eyes. Jerry jumped up holding the ball up high. Floyd our umpire yelled, "You're out!" Also with a high swing of his arm.

As I returned to pick up my dis-guarded items our second baseman Darrell said, " That's three away. Let's go in!" Car horns were honking and there were a lot of smiles in the dugout. I got many pats on my back for that irregular play.

Over time figuring this out I came up with this reason for my anomaly or off-the-wall stunt. It was sparked by being scorned and spiked by their first baseman. Before the many games we played I would speak to him. He would never return the gesture. He got on base a lot, and I really noticed his habit of spiking my ankle with steel spikes. Other players seldom hit my ankle.

I never will forget the look on his face as he walked in from second base. He threw his batting helmet at the dugout fence. We won 9 to 6 after Gary's two run homer. I hope he remembers that anomaly of revenge to this day. I don't remember his name, but I sure remember that play!


Cody in SW Indiana

P.S.

What you have just read is never done in any baseball game. Baseball or any sport can be a game of miracles. So you simply have to be there to catch the next one sent from above.

[CJWhiteWTCIN]

Well said Bob and ball fielding miracles are like out of the park home runs! The above teachings from AnnieDanny need my God Blessed example. Baseball is full of miracles and if your Guardian Angel makes assists for any team from youth to professional, the crowd will roar. Here is the one I wished for as a Little Leaguer...

Picture this; A night time Colt League game behind the old school with about 100 folks watching back in 1965.

We had never beat the best Fort Branch team (Vendall) being played. We always won over the other team (EMGE) from the same neighboring town. It was the 6th inning and we led 7 to 6 with two outs. The tying run was on 2nd base. I played first base and prepared to defend against their first baseman at bat.

The pitch was low and he slammed an in bound low liner parallel to the foul line. I moved left to try a catch with my big red Taiwan made first baseman's glove and I missed it. And now the miracle begins....

I turned left over the foul line! I threw down my glove! I pulled out my floppy billfold from my rear hip pocket! I threw off my cap! I headed into right field as fast as I could run! I yelled at the fully capable right fielder, "Danny I've got it!" Danny was charging the ball and stopped well short in amazement. He stayed put allowing me the still rolling ball which I grabbed with my right hand!

Time out for this note; Our school's custodian mowed the grass all cut around 4-5" with his International Cub tractor. This friction on the ball gave me a chance to catch up to it. But I did not think about that factor. I was mad at myself for missing the ball!

I turned around and yelled loudly, "Jerry!" Our catcher already knew the baseball was coming his way. My eyes were blurry with wind tears from my adrenalin enhanced run. I reared back and threw to home plate around 180-200 feet in a try to nullify the tying run.

The ball was not cut off by Darrell our smart second baseman. It flew shoulder high all the way dead centered into Jerry's unmoving glove placed chest high. He turned to meet the runner. The runner didn't slide hoping a collision would dislodge the ball. A huge dust cloud arose as I watched with clearing eyes. Jerry jumped up holding the ball up high. Floyd our umpire yelled, "You're out!" Also with a high swing of his arm.

As I returned to pick up my dis-guarded items our second baseman Darrell said, " That's three away. Let's go in!" Car horns were honking and there were a lot of smiles in the dugout. I got many pats on my back for that irregular play.

Over time figuring this out I came up with this reason for my anomaly or off-the-wall stunt. It was sparked by being scorned and spiked by their first baseman. Before the many games we played I would speak to him. He would never return the gesture. He got on base a lot, and I really noticed his habit of spiking my ankle with steel spikes. Other players seldom hit my ankle.

I never will forget the look on his face as he walked in from second base. He threw his batting helmet at the dugout fence. We won 9 to 6 after Gary's two run homer. I hope he remembers that anomaly of revenge to this day. I don't remember his name, but I sure remember that play!


Cody in SW Indiana

P.S.

What you have just read is never done in any baseball game. Baseball or any sport can be a game of miracles. So you simply have to be there to catch the next one sent from above.

[AnnieDanny]

Why are famous people making comments on religion or religious experiences as if they KNOW something about it? I thought Steve Job's comments on God indicated how little EFFORT he put into it, which apparently was almost NONE. So why are we quoting famous people like this? Does it give everybody else an excuse to be lazy about our spiritual obligations?

Mr. Schieffer's recent comments on religion, miracles etc are shallow and silly, to put it mildly. Is this a joke? The article seems to be somewhat serious. When Jesus healed a blind man: THAT was a miracle. When he fed 5000 people with a few loaves of bread: another REAL miracle. Jesus raised three people from the dead: so let's not dilute the REAL meaning of a miracle.

It's been said before, Christianity is not a spectator sport. There are no bleachers. You're either in the game or you're not. That's pretty much true of any religion. The new "Universal" religion is telling us it's OK to believe Everything, but actually it's not, in fact it's one of the worst deceptions about Religion there ever was because NONE of the gods signed up for this "Universal Plan." Each religion requires more commitment than that.

The Universal god is nameless, faceless, and imposes no obligations on us. The Universal god says it's ok to be wimpy and namby pamby about what we believe. In fact, I think all the Universalists might as well admit they don't actually believe in anything. It seems to me they are major-league FENCE SITTERS who think that believing in nothing is the path to peace.

Jesus said, "I wish that you were hot or cold, but if you're lukewarm I will spit you out of my mouth." Nothing namby pamby about that. It's time to get SERIOUS about what we BELIEVE, and especially those of us who have such religious freedom should not waste our opportunity. There are plenty of people around the world who are not as blessed.