For those of you at JC Love Field last Saturday afternoon, you saw a play that you may never see again. For those that weren’t there, an opposing player hit a home run in the 8th inning to tie the game. However, he failed to touch home plate as he rounded the bases. Witnesses on my row, including the renowned radio icon Nick Brown, will attest that I was the first one to note the transgression by the opposing player.
In the ensuing moments that followed, Tech players were made aware of the opportunity, went through the process to challenge the home run, successfully negated the tying score, and went on to win the game.
While all this was going on, my thoughts flashed back to 1975 in Springhill, Louisiana. My Minden Fair Park All-stars were playing in the Dixie Youth 11/12-year-old finals against Springhill. The winner would go to the state tournament.
I was 11 at the time and was pitching the last few innings of a tie game. With two out in the top of the sixth (last) inning, I gave up a home run. As the runner rounded the bases, our coach thought he missed first base. With our coaches and parents all yelling instructions at me, I was not clear on exactly what I should do. I didn’t understand the process of “stepping off” and made an incorrect appeal throw to first. The appeal was negated, and the run stood.
My coach was furious that I had “blown” the appeal. The umpire conceded that the opposing player had missed the base. The parents and spectators from Minden were noticeably disappointed. I was able to get the last out of the inning, but our team did not score in the bottom of the sixth, and we lost. Our season was over.
Our coach was still visibly upset after the game. On the drive home, my mom asked me why they were all saying that I did something wrong. At this point, I was still not clear on what I should have done. We drove home not knowing what I was supposed to have done. A few days later, I would learn the proper technique for such a play.
The key lesson here is: We can’t do or become what we have not seen!
As we consider this concept, it should change the way we relate to others in our lives. We can’t expect others to know or perform at levels that they have never seen before. I see it all the time with first-time supervisors not meeting management’s expectations. I have seen it on the athletic field between coach and player. I have seen it with parent and child relationships. I have seen it in classroom settings with students not meeting the instructor’s expectations.
We can all learn this concept. Whatever we are involved in, leading by example is a start. Demonstrating the desired behavior, modeling the desired approach, or taking the time to be crystal clear with instructions can help get the results we are looking for in various areas.
No one knows the correct approach to appeal a missed base better than I do. It’s amazing how many times I have taught others in a pitching lesson something that I learned the hard way. Life is like that. We never forget the hard lessons.
How can you help others see what they can become by sharing your hard learnings?
