To Tell The Truth

Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio, Cal Ripken, Yaz, Brooks Robinson, George Brett, Ozzie Smith, and other stars that we grew up with that we could honestly say were a baseball purists dream? What has happened to integrity, truth and the American past time? What has happened to common sense?

We live in an information rich society. At the touch a button or keyboard, we can locate, or find information about anyone, anytime and anywhere. And, the by-product of all that info-wealth is that there’s little or no chance of anyone that is in the public eye to ever get away with anything. So, why even try?

Here’s why…We have been highlight reeled to think that all ball players hit homers, make diving plays, and can jump up center field walls to make catches all the time. Therefore, when we don’t see a player do that the day we decide to go to the ballpark, we get disappointed and wonder what happened to our star player. The players themselves see this too and work and practice harder, so that they too can be on the next segment of Web Gems or Touch Em All. And that’s great for baseball…as long as it’s done honestly, and legally. But it seems that the desire to be on Sports Center wasn’t always achieved with the integrity of the game in mind for some….and that’s a shame.

Ozzie Smith never needed anything but a rubber ball, a paper sack glove and concrete stairs to learn how to have quick hands. Brooks Robinson took thousands of ground balls per week to become the best third baseman ever to play the game. George Brett worked tirelessly with Charlie Lau to perfect and perfect again his already perfect swing. That’s how it done folks. There’s no need for any other enhancements to play this game…other than to mentally enhance the desire to play harder and smarter.

Short-cuts lead to short careers. The only way to play this game is to respect this game…be honest...and never let the temptation of a ‘better and easier way” lead you to think that there is a better and easier way. There isn’t…Players, learn from this. The game is fun just the way it is.