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Subject: A perfect baseball game > Hi Friends, This is a beautiful story and I hope you enjoy: > > In a message dated 9/18/99 4:27:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time, JimEastin writes: > > << > > "BASEBALL HEROES" > > > > By Rabbi Paysach Krohn > > > > In the competitive world of the 1990's, one > > wonders whether the old adage still holds true: > > "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you > > play the game." The following true story > > illustrates the power of human concern - even in > > the face of intense competition. > > > > In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that > > caters to learning-disabled children. Some > > children remain in Chush for their entire school > > careers, while others can be mainstreamed into > > conventional Jewish schools. There are a few > > children who attend Chush for most of the week > > and go to a regular school on Sundays. > > > > At a Chush fundraising dinner, the father of a > > Chush child delivered a speech that would never > > be forgotten by all who attended. After > > extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he > > cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son > > Shaya? Everything that God does is done with > > perfection. But my child cannot understand > > things as other children do. My child cannot > > remember facts and figures as other children do. > > Where is God's perfection?" > > > > The audience was shocked by the question, pained > > by the father's anguish, and stilled by his > > piercing query. > > > > "I believe," the father answered, "that when God > > brings a child like this into the world, the > > perfection that He seeks is in the way people > > react to this child." > > > > He then told the following story about his son > > Shaya: > > > > Shaya attends Chush throughout the week and a > > boy's yeshiva (Torah institute) on Sundays. One > > Sunday afternoon, Shaya and his father came to > > the yeshiva as his classmates were playing > > baseball. The game was in progress and as Shaya > > and his father made their way towards the > > ballfield, Shaya said, "Do you think you could > > get me into the game?" > > > > Shaya's father knew his son was not at all > > athletic, and that most boys would not want him > > on their team. But Shaya's father understood > > that if his son was chosen in, it would give him > > a comfortable sense of belonging. > > > > Shaya's father approached one of the boys in the > > field and asked, "Do you think my Shaya could > > get into the game?" > > > > The boy looked around for guidance from his > > teammates. Getting none, he took matters into > > his own hands and said, "We are losing by six > > runs and the game is already in the eighth > > inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll > > try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning." > > > > Shaya's father was ecstatic as Shaya smiled > > broadly. Shaya was told to put on a glove and go > > out to play short center field. > > > > In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shaya's team > > scored a few runs but was still behind by three. > > In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shaya's team > > scored again - and now with two outs and the > > bases loaded and the potential winning runs on > > base, Shaya was scheduled to be up. Would the > > team actually let Shaya bat at this juncture and > > give away their chance to win the game? > > > > Surprisingly, Shaya was told to take a bat and > > try to get a hit. Everyone knew that it was all > > but impossible, for Shaya didn't even know how > > to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with it. > > However as Shaya stepped up to the plate, the > > pitcher moved in a few steps to lob the ball in > > softly so Shaya should at least be able to make > > contact. > > > > The first pitch came in and Shaya swung clumsily > > and missed. One of Shaya's teammates came up to > > Shaya and together they held the bat and faced > > the pitcher waiting for the next pitch. The > > pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss > > the ball softly towards Shaya. > > > > As the next pitch came in, Shaya and his > > teammate swung the bat and together they hit a > > slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher > > picked up the soft grounder and could easily > > have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shaya > > would have been out and that would have ended > > the game. > > > > Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it > > on a high arc to right field, far and wide > > beyond the first baseman's reach. Everyone > > started yelling, "Shaya, run to first! Shaya, > > run to first!" Never in his life had Shaya run > > to first. > > > > He scampered down the baseline wide eyed and > > startled. By the time he reached first base, the > > right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown > > the ball to the second baseman who would tag out > > Shaya, who was still running. But the > > rightfielder understood what the pitcher's > > intentions were, so he threw the ball high and > > far over the third baseman's head, as everyone > > yelled, "Shaya, run to second! Shaya, run to > > second." > > > > Shaya ran towards second base as the runners > > ahead of him deliriously circled the bases > > towards home. As Shaya reached second base, the > > opposing shortstop ran towards him, turned him > > towards the direction of third base and shouted, > > "Shaya, run to third!" > > > > As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams > > ran behind him screaming, "Shaya, run home! > > Shaya, run home!" > > > > Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate and all 18 > > boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him > > the hero, as he had just hit the "grand slam" > > and won the game for his team. > > > > "That day," said the father who now had tears > > rolling down his face, "those 18 boys reached > > their level of perfection. They showed that it > > is not only those who are talented that should > > be recognized, but also those who have less > > talent. They too are human beings, they too > > have feelings and emotions, they too are people, they too want to feel important. |
- Re: [RR] A Perfect Baseball game Rick Barnhouse
- Re: [RR] A Perfect Baseball game Keith Brooks
