A MLB Tattletale Reminds Us to Live

As your coach, I’m here to tell you to be a human being. Every time I see a student in the local super market or coffee shop they are ridden with guilt as if I can see their health transgressions, and I care, and I’m judging you. A funny baseball clubhouse story comes to mind.

A former world series MVP, Los Angeles baseball legend, and current sports broadcaster that will go nameless, spent a fabled night in the lobby of the team’s hotel with a yellow legal pad in his lap. Not many players enjoyed this veteran at the time with the New York Mets before this evening, but surely his actions this evening would solidify their opinions. The New York Mets were on a five game skid, losing seven of their last nine games. 

Concerned with players lack of attention to detail this disliked baseball legend was in the lobby to keep a tally of which players came in after curfew. Adult Major League Baseball player missing curfew is an offense taken lightly, but would carry slightly more emotional weight during a losing streak… or so it seemed. 

Our investigative ball player immediately reported to the manager the following morning, “I’ll have you know that eight of your players were out last night past curfew. I have a list.” Unimpressed, but feeling obligated to take action the then manager, Bobby Valentine, held an ad hoc team meeting before batting practice. 

“I’ve come to learn that amidst our losing streak, eight of you were out past curfew. I don’t want to get into calling guys out, so I’m issuing a $1000 fine for each of you. I want to see the cash in my desk by the end of batting practice. No questions asked. Let’s clean it up!”

At the end of batting practice, Valentine chuckled when he looked in his desk drawer and found twenty-two thousand dollars. “Boys will be boys.”

In this context, it’s better that the character remain nameless, but I remember hearing our coaching staff tell us this story my rookie year and it stayed with me. They told us the story the same reason that I’m telling you the story today. Sure, there are rules and the right way to do things, but at the end of the day you need to enjoy your life. Be a human. You’ll never hear from me that living your life is something to be ashamed of. At some point, you’ll need to figure out how to win, but if you have a half a dozen beers every now and then you shouldn’t be ashamed, either. Live it up!

 

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach

 

PS – In other news, no one likes a snitch..