Funny how this world works… how one thing leads to another… how what we learn in one area is so often applicable to something else…
As the year’s summer baseball season wraps up for my middle son, we found ourselves neck-and-neck in the late innings of one game in a highly competitive tournament last weekend. In fact, since this team has found significant on-field success, we were playing mostly teams a year older.
This game was especially tight, but with two on and no out, our cleanup hitter came to the plate. He quickly smacked a long double to right center field, giving us a two run lead, which seemed somewhat insurmountable in a game where runs were rare.
Before the cheers had yet to subside in the stands, the coach of the other team was out of his dugout, yelling at the umpires. “Check his bat! Check that bat!”
Yes, we were playing in a wood bat tournament, a series where no metal nor composite wood bats are allowed. Funniest thing… our four hitter’s bat sure looked like it was wood. And it was. But buried deep within the rules was the edict that the bats must be made of a singular piece of wood. The bat in question was actually made out of two pieces. Granted, it was not a error of deception; rather, it was an innocent error by a teen with a previously-thought, cool looking bat. After an extended conference with both umpires and opposing coaches, the batter was called out and our two run lead was erased.
Let me be clear. The opposing coach was right. He was completely within his jurisdiction to question what was a potential violation of the rules. In fact, I learned later that this coach was a baseball bat salesman; he knew what he was talking about.
Here’s the problem. Remember we found ourselves neck-and-neck in the late innings of the game. This was the third time the cleanup hitter was at bat. The previous two times at the plate, his at bat did not affect the outcome of the game. Only when it affected the outcome of the game did the opposing coach speak up.
Hence… my questions of the day — my learning from one area applied to another…
- How often do we play by the rules only when it affects the desired result?
- How often do we demand that others play the rules only when it affects the desired result?
- How often are we silent about the rules — because we don’t necessarily want to totally play by them either — until, of course, we can gain some sort of advantage?
I wonder when we play by the rules and when we don’t.
I wonder how often we announce the rules… and… when we choose to stay silent.
Does the end justify the means? Does the game matter?
Is it hypocrisy? Is it unethical? Seems to me way too many inconsistently play by the rules, embracing them when they want to — ignoring them when they don’t.
Let me again say that the coach had every right to come out of the dugout. He was right. The challenge is, though, that too many only come out of the dugout when it benefits them… when it affects the outcome of the game. In business… in government… in activism, etc.
Oh, how I wish what we learn in one area would affect other areas as well…
(And FYI… for the record, the good guys still won. 🙂 )
Respectfully…
AR