One of the great sources of excitement in life can come from the events in the athletic arena. With emotion and vigor we cheer on our favorite team. Within these contests, participants pit themselves against self and others. It is within such contests we find a good many similarities of life. In fact, much of the balance of life outside the contest is demonstrated by the conflicts that arise in the athletic arena. We use expressions from the physical events of the various contest to describe many functions of our everyday lives. For example...We "tackle a job", sometimes we may be heard saying "I just struck out", or "he was sure dealt a terrible blow".
From athletic events we find stories of courage, fear, uncertainty, disparity and victory. By observing the events and activities of the individuals as players and as members of their respective teams we may determine individual success formulas that we may emulate within our own life.
One of the great heroes of baseball fame was Casey "the mighty batter". One story from his life was put into poem and titled "Casey at Bat".
CASEY AT BAT
The outlook wasn't brilliant
for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two
with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney die at first,
and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell
upon the patrons of the game.
A struggling few got up
to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal
in the human breast;
They thought if only Casey
could but get a whack at that -
We'd put up even money now
with Casey at the bat.
But Flynn preceded Casey,
as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu
and the latter was the cake;
so upon that stricken multitude
grim melancholy sat.
For there seemed but little chance
of Casey's getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single,
to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despised,
tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted,
and the men saw what occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second
and Flynn a-hugging third.
Then from 5,000 throats and more
there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley,
It rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain
and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey
was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner
as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing
and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers,
he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt
'twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him
as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded
when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher
ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye,
a sneer curled Casey's lip.
And now the leather covered sphere
came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it
in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman
the ball unheeded sped-
"That ain't my style," said Casey.
"Strike one," the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people,
there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves
on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!"
shouted someone on the stand;
And it's likely they'd have killed him
had not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity
great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult;
he bade the game go one;
He signaled to the pitched
and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it,
and the umpire said, "Strike two."
"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands,
and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey
and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold,
they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey
wouldn't let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey's lip,
his teeth are clenched in hate;
he pounds with cruel violence
his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball,
and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered
by the force of Casey's blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land
the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere
and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing,
and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville-
mighty Casey had struck out.
The often told story here usually revolves around the great Casey but further exploration sheds some additional focus for our observations today. While Casey did weld an awesome bat the fact remains that without the concentration of his other two companions Flynn & Blake, Casey never would have had the opportunity. May I suggest that the other two batters Mr Flynn and Mr Blake both felt the burden of getting on base when they were at bat. Each felt the pressure on him to perform. No less were the burdens of Flynn or Blake than that of Mr Casey. You see it was a team and on this day Casey became no more than any other player that played the game.
Flynn, Blake and Casey were all part of the same team the mudville nine. They were nine the mudville nine and each was needed to do his part if they were to stand a chance. No player played a greater role than the other. Likewise in life we are all part of a team or teams. We belong to teams at the office, our family team and even the Lords team. In each instance we play a different part we have different roles and responsibilities to fulfill if the team is to be successful. Each role is important none being more or less significant than the other. If we are to be victorious in the Lords battle we must learn to function well as a team.
As leaders or coaches; it is our responsibility to get all the players to home plate safely. As coaches we are the ones responsible to teach and accomplish the fundamentals of the game. In the game of gospel the fundamentals of hitting and fielding are summed up in our performances of:
Home teaching, Welfare work, Temple Attendance, Activation and Missionary work. Each of our respective teams have a different sets of circumstances. some teams are faced with too many players and not enough positions to go around and others are faced with too many positions and not enough players too go around. some teams have great cheering sections but few players, others good pitching staffs and lousy fielders or poor hitters.
As I agonized over what to say that would be of common benefit for each of us as coaches on the Lord's team I found a few primary areas for concentration.
Given the fact in life that we cannot pick our players we can only develop the ones we already have and recruit new ones. And given our responsibility whether we have to many or to few players we must prepare each player for their turn at bat. As each player on our team will have their turn to come to the plate as did Casey.
How then does one prepare his team for victory?
I would like to suggest that the first resposinbility we have is to understand our individual mission and the mission of the team. You see we cannot lead or coach if we do not know were we are going. In determining direction Nephi made a great statement in 1 Nephi 15:8. You may recall from your Book of Mormon studies that the brothers of Nephi are contending with him as they have been known to do from time to time. Laman and Lemuel have just experienced the interpretation of the olive tree and its branches and are disturbed as they don't quite understand it. Because they don't understand they approached Nephi for further interpretation and Nephi gives this wise council "Have ye inquired of the Lord ?". A modern application of that might be as we contemplate our roles as priesthood leaders may I suggest that we follow Nephi's council "Have ye inquired of the Lord?"
One possible application may be like that which we experienced one evening. as we have determined to go visit someone on a certain evening taking the time to Inquire of the Lord as to whom we as a presidency should go visit. We felt inspired to visit a member whom we normally would not have considered... after the initial shock of the presidency just stopping by, not to give an assignment he proceeded to tell of some of his concerns and experiences of the last few months as we discussed life in general I felt the spirit confirm that just being there had made a difference in this fine brothers life.
As Coaches we need to know the capabilities of each player better than they know their own. As Coaches each of us has Casey's, Flynns and Blakes. We must develop the Flynns and the Blakes of this world to be victorious. By knowing the strengths, abilities and especially the likes of various players on our team we try to use the talents and likes of one to train and develop the talents of another. Oscar Hammerstein knew that a heart can inspire other hearts with it's fire. He said
"give me some men who are stout hearted men
who will fight for the right they adore.
start me with ten who are stout hearted men
and I will soon give you ten thousand more."
This ability to appropriate the virtues of others is probably the greatest power in the world. In other words as we draft and recruit new players we develop and strengthen our current stars.
Let me illustrate;
Although in our Elders quorum we don't really have called people in various committees we call people to perform various responsibilities.
As a presidency we meet with the ward mission leader Brother Kennah
Spend time on each individual with interest or attitude that can be influence toward greater activity.
Next Step take the individual as a individual.
Explore their personality and interests.
Next Step Match Likes to Likes
Example Motorcycle rider to a member just starting to ride new friendship.
Example Teaming up fishermen with fishermen
Example Neighborhood temple square visit to see the lights and various members are inviting those whom special interests have been developed.
Although I cannot yet stand here and say that we have converted our ten thousand. I can say that we are slowly bridging a gap by forming fruitful relationships.
I pray that we may all be responsive coaches on the Lord's team. That we may take the time to inquire of the Lord in all our doings. That we may make the effort to really know the brethren that we serve that we may develop the strengths of the Flynns and the Blakes and thus strengthening the Lords church here on the earth.