Dear Friends
Yesterday after church we traveled down to Glassboro to watch my grandson play baseball. He is a sophomore pitcher for St Lawrence University, and his team was playing Rowan College in their season opener. We arrived late for the first game, only to see the scoreboard results: Rowan 14, St Lawrence 1. We got ready to watch the second game thinking St. Lawrence will surely play better. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case as the Rowan “Profs” played more like professional baseball players than college professors. The Profs erupted for 8 runs in the first inning and coasted to 14-6 victory in the second game.
Now granted St Lawrence University is located in the frigid reaches of Polar Bear country in Canton, New York where last week they endured a two-day blizzard which dumped over three feet of snow on their baseball field. The team has not had one day of practice outside of the field house since their season began. So, to say they were unprepared for the game is an understatement. The Profs quickly quelled any hopes that the score of the second game would be any less lopsided than the opener, erupting for 8 runs in the first inning and going on for an easy 14-6 victory.
What impressed me, however, was not the wide disparity of abilities between the two teams, but the incredible enthusiasm of the St Lawrence parents, many of whom traveled from as far as Massachusetts, Connecticut and upstate New York to cheer on their sons. Despite the lopsided score, 8-0 after the first inning, you might have thought you were witnessing a one run nail biter that might be decided in the last inning.
Jean and I watched in amazement as the St Lawrence fans cheered their team on despite the score. When my grandson took the mound, the crowd erupted in a chorus of cheers for “Huck” Hahn. Yes, "Huck" short for Huckleberry, which tells you something about his parents who stuck him with that middle name. As “Huck” strolled to the mound, you would have thought he was entering the 9th inning of game 7 of a deadlocked World Series game. What an ovation he received as he entered the game. He is the team’s closer, but not much to close in a game where they were 8 runs down in the final inning. Huck took to the mound and gave the St Lawrence fans something to cheer about as he quickly retired the side, with two strikeouts and a weak fly to the shortstop.
Now you may be wondering what all of this has to do with my “Leadership Thought” for the day. Is there any motivation beyond providing an opportunity for me to brag a little about a grandson, who may be the only pitcher in the county who bears that name "Huck?" The answer is yes. My motivation derives from witnessing the enthusiasm of the St Lawrence fans who despite the scoreboard remained wildly enthusiastic about their team, and especially one Huckleberry Hahn.
Richard De Voss, the founder of Amway was asked one time in a television interview, “What is the most important management skill you learned in the process of building the Amway Company?” This is what he said. “The most important management skill I learned was how to be a cheerleader.” The Joy of Encouragement, David Jeremiah, p. 130
Everyone needs cheerleaders in their life, but perhaps not as much as those undermanned and outperformed teammates on that St Lawrence University squad needed it, and thank goodness yesterday they received it in an overflowing supply. In the years ahead, those players may forget the lopsided scores of those two games, but they will never forget their fans and the encouragement they received from some of the best cheerleaders in the world.
Is there someone you know who might benefit from a little encouragement? You might be the cheerleader whose words of hope and encouragement are just what is needed to see them through some trial and spur them on to some great victory.
Yours in faith and friendship,
Pastor Tom
No comments:
Post a Comment