Baseball: A Special Gift from God

By Bryan Steverson

Scripture becomes evident in baseball, if we only look. As a special gift from God, many examples are herein detailed. If we can find Gods Word in baseball, we can find it elsewhere also.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490852973

Bryan Steverson

BRYAN STEVERSON is a retired technical manager and baseball historian. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. In addition to numerous articles, his prior books include, Amazing Baseball Heroes, Inspirational Negro League Stories (2011) and Baseball, A Special Gift from God (2014). He provides presentations on baseball to numerous organizations, universities, churches, and national conferences. Bryan is married with five children and nine grandchildren.

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Copyright © 2014 Bryan Steverson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-5296-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5295-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5297-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014917172

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/14/2014

Contents

List of Abbreviations

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1   In The Beginning

Chapter 2   Jackie

Chapter 3   Holy Days

Chapter 4   The Last Shall Be First

Chapter 5   Diversity

Chapter 6   Size

Chapter 7   Age

Chapter 8   Hall of Fame

Chapter 9   Pitching

Chapter 10 Gender

Chapter 11 Rainbow

Chapter 12 Uniqueness

Chapter 13 Disabilities

Chapter 14 Bye Bye Evil

Chapter 15 Failure

Chapter 16 Dandy and Moonlight

Chapter 17 Giant Killers

Chapter 18 Play

Chapter 19 Forgiveness

Chapter 20 Generational

Chapter 21 Unforgivable

Chapter 22 Unselfish

Chapter 23 The Great One

Chapter 24 Men of God

Chapter 25 Courage

Chapter 26 The Number Three

Epilogue

Table of Biblical References

Table of Hall of Fame Players Referenced

List of Abbreviations

Acknowledgments

Entering the portico of a ballpark, it does not take long to become absorbed within your surroundings. The game can become part of a larger symbolism. It was that way with me. After years of research and numerous presentations, the greater meaning of the game became increasingly evident. The more I uncovered, the more there was. As I shared these thoughts with family and friends, the concept of a book surfaced.

As an author of any book relating to baseball, the writer is indebted to numerous historians whose research and writings guided them. Some are listed in the Selected Bibliography. Many others whose works are not listed deserve my admiration and appreciation. Our extended baseball family has been most supportive.

My SABR friends are special and particularly those within our Negro League Committee and our East Tennessee Chapter. A lasting friendship with Reverend William Greason has been a true blessing and together with Bobby Richardson, they have shown by example the impact baseball can have.

Dwain Kitchel was my editor and his professionalism was again unmatched. I am most grateful for the support Dwain and his wife Margaret gave me in my first book and their guidance in this second offering. As with my last book, Ronnie Joyner’s amazing illustrations have enhanced the content. The photo courtesies extended by the Tennessee Smokies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals Museum, Bill Chapman, Larry Lester and The Friends of Rickwood Field, our National Baseball Hall of Fame and others were wonderful.

I will forever be indebted to the many former minor league, Negro League and major league players I have met and interviewed over the years. The ever enlarging fraternity of players and fans is one of the wonderful things about our great game.

My thanks to the many pastors, priests and rabbis who, through their written and spoken words, provided resources and inspiration. With each surfacing of a biblical example, endorphins would flow.

WestBow Press has been very patient and an encouraging supporter as my publisher.

There is a special acknowledgement due the coaches, umpires, parents, volunteers and league officials who devote countless hours to our youth games. They know their reward and hopefully it is inferred within these pages. From Tee Ball to Softball to Little League and beyond, they nurture the game. In our formative years, the enjoyment of a throw and catch is more about fun than winning. You may not recall who won a particular game or even the championship but you do remember your teammates. Regardless of their age or later position in life, these adult volunteers will nearly always be addressed not by their first name or even by a courtesy title of Mr. or Mrs., but inevitably by the lasting honor of Coach.

I am forever indebted to Barbara, Bill & Holly, Brad & Cyndi, Charles & Beth, Al & Katie, Manny and Craig & Patsy without whose encouragement this book would not have been possible. My thanks also to our nine grandchildren who have patiently listened to the many stories and each of whom has enjoyed the Devine experience of watching the game with me.

Finally, my great joy in God’s grace which permitted me the pleasure of writing this book. It has been a learning experience which increasingly enhanced my faith and love of the game.

Introduction

God reveals himself to us through his word and through our daily encounters. He is ever present in our lives. The Prophet Jonah tried to flee from God. But Jonah rose to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD… (Jonah 1:3) He could not. A mighty tempest and a great fish intervened. God was there. He continues in our midst. We cannot escape. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (Psalm 139:7-8)

We need only search and the presence of God and his word can be found. Baseball is one of many observable archetypes. This book attempts to capture how scripture and our Lord’s word can be seen in everyday life. The word, theophany, refers to the manifestation of God to man. One of these manifestations could be through the game of baseball as suggested in this book. But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. (Deuteronomy 30:14)

A baseball game starts with the umpire yelling, Play Ball! As Pittsburgh Pirate Hall of Fame outfielder, Willie Pops Stargel thoughtfully said, "They don’t say ‘Work Ball." Baseball has no whistle, no clock and no time limit. It is truly play. Fans secure their food and beverages and sit to enjoy the game as Play Ball resonates. When their heroes do well, they rise and cheer. It is not unlike what the children of Israel did. …and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. (Exodus 32:6)

From spring training merging into the regular season and then continuing forward to the Arizona Fall League and Winter Ball, baseball is most often played under the sun. Solomon in the short Book of Ecclesiastes refers to under the sun more than a dozen times. Baseball is a summer game played by the Boys of Summer. The days are longer, school is out and the warmth of game, family and weather permeate.

There is a relationship between our Bible and baseball, between religion and our national pastime, between scripture and our play. These are woven into the American fabric. In the written and spoken word, as well as film, the waters of the game flow. George Burns and John Denver star in the 1977 popular comedy film, Oh, God! Burns plays God in the film and when asked by Jerry Landers (John Denver) about performing a miracle, God states, The last miracle I did was the 1969 Mets. Before that, I think you have to go back to the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:21)

The ripples continue.

Karl Marx is often referenced for his remarks regarding religion. Marx wrote in his Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, It (religion) is the opium of the people. Former Yale University President and later Commissioner of Baseball, Bart Giamatti stated in his 1989 book, Take Time for Paradise, …one could, if one chose, go to the view that sports in all their obsessive, overemphasized, worshipped forms are an opiate to the masses… To the extent such dependence exists, baseball may well be akin to religion. The Sporting News, a baseball based publication in existence since 1886, even carries the moniker, The Bible of Baseball.

Within this possible opiate, on our halcyon summer afternoons or evenings, in the middle of the seventh inning, we stand and sing Take Me Out To The Ball Game. The rhythmic words of the song, written by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer more than a hundred years ago, are the third most frequently sung in America.

Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,

I don’t care if I never get back

Never wanting to return to the reality of our busy world, isn’t that a hint of heaven? Isn’t that an image of being in paradise? The happy fan expresses a fleeting desire not to return to the real world. He and she have found their Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:8)

Paradise is a word derived from a long-ago Persian designation of an enclosed park or green. Isn’t that another description of a baseball field? In referring to heaven, Jesus said to one of the malefactors crucified with him, Today you will be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43) When we accompany family and friends to a game, each of us enjoys a time within an earthly paradise.

The 1989 film, Field of Dreams, had the following dialogue between baseball player John Kinsella, actor Dwier Brown, and the lead character, his son Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner. The scene is set within a ballfield constructed on a remote Iowa farm, surrounded by fields of growing corn.

John Kinsella: Is this heaven?

Ray Kinsella: It’s — it’s Iowa.

John: I could have sworn it was heaven.

Ray: Is there a heaven?

John: Oh, yeah. It’s the place where dreams come true.

Ray: Maybe this is heaven.

Ray may have gotten our earthly component of heaven right or certainly near right. The beauty of baseball and its associated ambiance goes beyond description.

Music has been a further source of kinship. Composer Randy Brooks had a wonderful song with the personally challenging title, Will You Be Ready at the Plate When Jesus Throws the Ball?

St Peter may have been waiting when New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle knocked on the doors of the Pearly Gates. Mantle was known to tell the self disparaging story of meeting St. Peter. The saint could only shake his ahead upon seeing The Mick and informing him, Mick, we checked the record. We know some of what went on. Sorry, we can’t let you in. St. Peter, as a spokesperson for God, did not stop there. He then added, But before you go, God wants to know if you’d sign these six dozen baseballs?

Included in this book are chapters telling of these special relationships. For reference, I have used the King James Version of our Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers. Other translations should mirror this usage, if not in exact text, then certainly in meaning. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

Our Bible is not just for a church setting. Through the prism of baseball we can discover scripture relationships. Rabbi Harold Kushner had the fans standing with his analysis.

Life is not a trap set for us by God, so that He can condemn us for failing. Life is not a spelling bee, where no matter how many words you have gotten right, if you make one mistake you are disqualified. Life is more like a baseball season, where even the best team loses one-third of its games and even the worst team has its days of brilliance.

For some of us, the game may provide a window to heaven. It is the goal to be achieved. You may therefore see baseball as I do,

Blue skies, green outfields and infields of brown

Generations enjoying the sights and the sounds

Make a ballpark like heaven in a positive way

Families and baseball and a nice summer day

Heaven by WBS

I hope this book helps reveal how the Bible and Our Lord’s Word can be found thriving within our daily lives. We need only look. Baseball is a sport which provides examples.

If we have listening ears, God speaks to us in our own language, whatever that language be. (Mahatma Gandhi)

There are other analogies. Baseball is only one. The game serves as a possible biblical metaphor and, if as proposed true, similar truths can be observed elsewhere.

May the sun never set on American baseball. (President Harry S. Truman)

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40:8)

Within baseball, we observe religion and scripture. The game has a broad meaning, as President Herbert Hoover stated, Next to religion, baseball has furnished a greater impact on American life than any other institution.

Within an international perspective, Methodist Episcopal missionary and author, Dr. C. Guyer Kelly, known as the King of Baseball in North Africa expressed the opinion, Baseball, played in sandlots across the world, is more likely to teach democracy, create international understanding and rout communism than is all the diplomacy of ambassadors.

Some may think these relationships within the chapters of this book are a stretch or purely circumstantial. To some they may represent verses taken out of context. I do not see it as such. To me there is a parallel, a relationship existing should we chose to observe. That they should seek the Lord…and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. (Acts 17:27)

Faith does permeate our sport. This is not a Protestant, Catholic or Jewish book. The text should transcend each. It is not intended to be a book of Biblical hermeneutics. But unlike any other human endeavor, I have found baseball to be one of the most closely aligned to faith.

Within these pages, the writer undertakes to link our Bible with baseball; Holy Words with Baseball Words; spiritual action with game action and sacred lessons with our pastime actions. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read… (Isaiah 34:16)

Some may say the relationships are contrived or random; a baseball fans’ fantasy, a fan gone loony tune. I maintain the game carries a broader meaning. There is no attempt to distort or otherwise change the deeper meaning of Holy Scripture.

The players in this book all had dreams—dreams involving baseball. Many would overcome obstacles in the search for their dreams. Like baseball, the dreams of followers are ever present in our Bible. From Jacob (Genesis 28:12) and Joseph (Genesis 37:5) in the Bible’s first chapter to the wise men (Matthew 2:12) and Pilate (Matthew 27:19) in the first chapter of the New Testament, dreams become an important part of God’s message.

Baseball is a sport and not a religion. As our National Pastime, it does embody a unique and special character. The game is as American as a neighborhood lemonade stand or turkey at Thanksgiving. Think of it! Remember your past. Like the church hymn, Bless Be the Tie That Binds, the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.

Let these memories and the fellowship shared bind you. As with faith, baseball links one generation to another. Like many of you, my grandfathers and father took me to baseball games. As time moved on, I have enjoyed games with my sons and daughter as well as grandsons and granddaughters.

Referring to our Holy Bible, President Ronald Reagan said, "Within the covers of that single book are all the answers to all the problems that face us today if we only read and believe."

In this simple game of throw the ball, hit the ball and catch the ball, Biblical truths reside. Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever: Amen. (Philippians 4:20)

In finding scripture within the game, this book contains more than 400 Bible verse references and mentions more than 100 members of Baseball’s Hall of Fame. There are many other less well-known players whose stories are also included and worthy of note.

Chapter 1

In The Beginning

In the beginning… (Genesis 1:1)

Was the author of Genesis clairvoyant when he began our Holy Bible’s initial chapter with these three words? Did this scribe have our national pastime in mind knowing when the adjective and noun were separated with a slight spelling change, the words become in the big inning? Do you suppose there may have been some holy influence in the establishment of baseball? A big inning is important in baseball. In this inning many, and often the deciding runs of the game, are scored. So starts our Bible, so starts this narrative.

Baseball’s early beginnings predate our American Civil War. Alexander Cartwright is considered The Father of Modern Base Ball. The acknowledgment is inscribed on his plaque in our National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. It was Cartwright who codified baseballs original rules. The inscription follows:

Cartwright was a founding and influential member of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York City, baseball’s first organized club. Cartwright likely played a key role in formalizing the first published rules of the game, including the concept of foul territory, the distance between bases, three-out innings, and the elimination of retiring baserunners by throwing batted baseballs at them.

The concept of nine players on a team and nine innings to game are attributed to Cartwright.

We know God is perfect. The psalmist, David, states, As for God, his way is perfect… and The law of the LORD is perfect… (Psalms 18:30 and 19:7)

Perfect was the term used by Canadian author, David McGimpsey in referring to baseball. McGimpsey stated, …baseball is perfect and God-given; baseball is the best sport; baseball is ‘naturally’ amenable to artistic representation; baseball is America at its best; baseball shows us nonviolent America where we all are judged on merit that can be quantified; baseball is about children; baseball returns sons to fathers.

Perfect is an unattainable goal for mankind. We strive for perfection but never can achieve it. Baseball may be one activity of man where perfection is very nearly attained. Pulitzer Prize winning sports writer, Red Smith, would say, Ninety feet between bases is the nearest thing to perfection that a man has yet achieved. Smith would say this because it takes a properly fielded infield ground ball and a good throw to force a runner out at first base. A delayed approach, bobbled ball or a poor throw and the runner is safe. Runners may be faster and equipment materially better, but the distance has remained constant. Smith has been proven to be correct. The establishment of a distance of 90 feet between each base on a baseball diamond originated more than 150 years ago with Alexander Cartwright. Infields are now groomed, bats are made to the exacting demands of players, baseballs meet detailed specifications, gloves are larger and much better and the modern ballplayer is stronger and faster. Within all the improvements, the 90 foot distance remains near perfect—a near perfect design transcending generations.

Just as the distance between bases has not changed in more than a century and a half, the game too has remained basically unaltered. In 1973 the American League adopted the Designated Hitter (DH) rule. The rule allows the pitcher to be replaced in the batting order by a designated hitter. The pitcher remains in the game while the DH bats in his place. The NL did not adopt the rule. This AL rule change remains the most significant change in the long history of the game. Little otherwise has changed. Our Bible has a similar reference: For I am the LORD, I change not… (Malachi 3:6)

Even as early as the candidacy of Abraham Lincoln, baseball was important. As Lincoln was traveling and campaigning for his party’s nomination, his baseball game was hastily interrupted. The urgency was to tell Lincoln he had won the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States. Lincoln did not pause. He gave a memorable reply to the interruption. Tell the Gentlemen they will have to wait a few minutes ’til I get my turn at bat. The game was important to him.

Baseball has impacted the lives of many of our Presidents, from throwing out the Opening Day pitch (first thrown by William Howard Taft on April 14,1910), to dreams of being a major leaguer (Dwight D. Eisenhower), to radio game announcing (Ronald Reagan), to playing collegiate baseball (G.H.W. Bush) to franchise ownership (George W. Bush). President Woodrow Wilson would throw out the first ball three times during his presidency, Roosevelt did it eight times, Ike seven times and JFK threw the ball out three times on Opening Day.

Since its beginning, baseball has flowed continuously through the American landscape. In times of difficulty, it provided a respite. During our American Civil War, prisoners of war (POWs) were known to have played baseball while attempting to overcome the hardship. African Americans formed their own leagues during the difficult years of Jim Crow. In the dark days of rationing during World War II, President Roosevelt would support the continuance of baseball. Barely one month after Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt sent a letter to Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Landis which stated, I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going.

The year 1968 was very traumatic for America. Less than five years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy were both shot. The Viet Nam War was raging and rioting took place at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. One city hit particularly hard by rioting was Detroit. Yet, it was the excitement of a baseball season called The Year of the Pitcher which helped calm us. Although ravaged by the riots, Detroit would rise, united by a Tiger baseball team that went on to win the World Series.

After the horrific attack on September 11, 2001, Americans united as President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch on October 30 to begin Game three of the World Series. As Yankee public address announcer Bob Sheppard introduced the President of the United States, the crowd erupted in a loud and patriotic chant of USA, USA, USA. Arizona Diamondback’s first baseman Mark Grace described our President as standing there like a brick wall. (Implying) I’m not afraid of terrorists. I’m going to stand all out to give you a thumbs-up and I’m going to throw a strike.

Our way of life would continue and baseball became another notable example. Despite imprisonment, discrimination, world wars and horrific attacks, baseball continues as a way to celebrate a renewed beginning. This beginning is now a new national covenant.

Baseball is our national pastime. As early as 1856, writers in New York referred to the game as the national pastime. Baseball provides recreation. If we hyphenate the word, it can become re-creation. In essence we can become lost in the atmosphere of a game as recreation. We experience a renewed creation metaphorically like reentering the Garden of Eden. It brings peace and harmony to our existence.

James Earl Jones plays the role of Thomas Mann in the film, Field of Dreams. When explaining why people would come to watch a baseball game played on an isolated Iowa cornfield, Mann states, People will come…for the peace they lack.

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Rickwood Field, Birmingham, AL, America’s Oldest Baseball Park, where many have enjoyed games through the years (photo courtesy of Bill Chapman)

Even today, games are played by Angels (e.g., the Los Angeles of Anaheim). Other games may involve the Cardinals (St. Louis) or Padres (San Diego). In the early part of the 20th century there was a House of David team. The team was formed in 1903 in Benton Harbor, MI by a religious community with the purpose of gathering the twelve lost tribes of Israel to await the Millennium. Named for Israel’s shepherd king, the team used baseball as a missionary tool.

The Epistle of James (James 2:8) in the New Testament speaks of a Royal Law. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. In our game we have Royals also—the Kansas City Royals.

In 1994, William Dear directed a remake of the 1951 film, Angels in the Outfield. In the baseball based film starring Danny Glover, a young foster