Posted on 05/04/2008 6:22:32 AM PDT by jimtorr
Something remarkable happened in a college softball game Saturday in Ellensburg(Washington). At least, I am conditioned to think it was remarkable, since it involved an act of sportsmanship, with two players helping an injured opponent complete the home run she had just slugged.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
In this story of womens softball, a college senior hits her first home-run, injures her knee before touching first base, and players on the opposing team carry her around the bases to complete the home-run. The opposing team lost, by the way.
This story is from The New York Times via the Seattle Times.
VERY TOUCHING!!!
There should be no losers, only winners.
Everybody should be treated like they were in the Special Olympics.
Anyone who does not agree is a Nazi.
I lol’ed hoping that was sarcasm.
yeah, yeah, we get it E. Plub - but this was classy. as a pitcher myself, I wouldn’t want to win a game because someone tore up a knee jogging out a HR they hit off me fair and square.
No, she doesn't deserve it. For a home run to count, the batter has to do one important thing: complete the trip around the bases. An infield home run, for example, counts just as much as a ball hit over the fence. But both involve a trip around the bases.
Is this story touching? Absolutely not. It would have been touching, though, had the girl gritted it out and crawled (if that's what it took) to get around the bases. It would have been a great life lesson in fortitude and willpower too. But she was denied this by a bunch of emotional do-gooders who just had to carry her around the bases. I find nothing admirable in it.
Oh yeah. It would have really been terrific if she further injured her knee crawling around the bases. In fact, what a great life lesson it would be if the injury were aggravated so badly that her leg had to be amputated at the knee.
(Do I really need a </sarcasm> tag? If you forgot to put one on your post, my apologies. I'm presuming that your post was serious.)
Leg amputation? Leg amputation????
Well, yes, I say definitely carry her around the bases then to avoid leg amputation. Give her a tiara too!
As responsible FReepers, we must do everything we can to avoid the tragedy of leg amputation.
Little bruises and boo-boos too.
As I expected some would do, you missed the whole point. You help make the writers point that simple sportsmanship is lost. Let the girl have her glory, and let the girls who helped her have theirs.
This was a small college softball game, for crying out loud, not the world series. The batter is a senior, has a career batting average of .153, hit her very first home run, and she messed up her knee going back to touch first base.
The two runs already scored won the game. Why not help her complete what could only have been a dream come true?
You win. I’ll stop.
Like preventing leg amputations, I won’t stand in the way of making dreams come true.
Hobbling or crawling around the bases would have been a much better inspirational story. The actions of these players knocked their team out of a chance for the playoffs.
This is like giving trophies to all who participate.
Is this story touching? Absolutely not.
_____
LOL. Sometimes it’s worthwhile to see something for just what it is. It was the spontaneous reaction of a group of athletes who chose to go out of their way for one of their own (athlete, not team mate).
Sure, we can put it (negatively) in the larger context of dumbing down, everybody is equal, everybody gets a trophy, everybody wins, so on and so on, but why? That’s not what happened here; it doesn’t fit the facts. There was no committee. This wasn’t mandated. The league commissar wasn’t involved. Just a group of athletes doing what they do.
I guess I have a different perspective, having a daughter who played Div 1 lacrosse. For a good percentage of them, it is still the playing of the game well that matters, not the grinding into dust of your opponent.
Another one is the intentional walk. Just put 'em on first and be done with it.
Another one is the intentional walk. Just put 'em on first and be done with it.
I agree with you. Nothing “sportsman” like in this hollow victory at all. Whatever are we coming to when even games have nothing to lose or win about them.
Not quite, Flycatcher. I am quite late on this story, but I knew my freeper friends would be up on it. In an earlier thread, an actual softball umpire chimed in and informed us that, in fact, if a player is INJURED when he is running to a base he is entitled too (home run, ball bounces out of the field of play, hit batter, etc), then a pinch runner can be called in as a substitute. The umpires at this game were wrong. A great story, but I do understand what you were alluding to.
Thanks for the (belated) update, Paradox. I learn something new every day.
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