Meeting A Great Man
For those who do not follow baseball, Dale Murphy was one of the greatest players to ever wear an Atlanta Braves uniform. As one of the best and most complete players during the 1980’s, Murphy won numerous awards, including offensive and defensive awards. The fact that he has not been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame is an injustice that I hope will one day be rectified.
There are lots of players who have great careers - players who can hit the ball, or throw the ball, or catch the ball, a lot better than their peers. However, very few can truly be called great people. What sets Dale Murphy apart from other players of his era, and indeed, from players of any era, was his work off the field.
Dale Murphy is, quite frankly, one of the cleanest and most honorable men ever to play professional sports. His picture should be beside the definition of “role model” in the dictionary. He never cheated. I can not remember a time when he lost his temper. He was simply the type person you knew you would love to count as a friend, and I have always felt he deserved the name Hero.
The reason I tell you about Murph (I can still hear Skip Carey on TBS calling that name) is that I had the distinct honor and great fortune to meet the man this weekend.
My daughter has developed a love for baseball. That thrills me to no end. She and I will go to the local park and catch a minor league game whenever given the chance. She has learned to keep a scorecard, and she listens carefully when I tell one of my long-winded stories about this player or that team. This has become one of our bonding rituals, and it’s time that I cherish.
We were at the park the other night, and they had announced since the season began that Dale Murphy was going to be present at the game. I had thought it was simply going to be an instance where he would toss out the first pitch (which he did), and maybe say a few words (ditto), and then he would head out, maybe to another speaking engagement. That last part was where I was wrong, and I should have known better.
Murph was going to set up camp and sign autographs for the fans. By the time the autograph session began, the line stretched halfway around the stadium concourse. I am not exaggerating when I say I believe there were more people in line to meet Dale Murphy than there were in the stands watching the game. My daughter and I waited patiently for our turn to stand in front of greatness.
Fortunately for Murphy’s hands, the people running the show placed a limit on autographs to one item per person. Although there were people who sought to abuse the rules, the vast majority of us in line waited our turn, oblivious to the game or anything else going on.
Finally the moment arrived. My daughter went first, while I snapped away with the camera, getting as many shots of Dale Murphy as I could. Then we swapped places and she took pictures as I handed over my one item to be signed.
I had thought long and hard as to what I would say to Mr. Murphy. After all, I could not take much of his time – there were still a lot of people behind us, and the line was moving quickly. But I wanted him to know I regarded him as a hero to all of us. What to say in a moment like that?
As he signed my card, I said, “You have always been one of my heroes, not for what you did on the field, but for the work you did off the field. A lot of us appreciate what you have done.” He smiled and thanked me, as he extended his hand. I was honored that he would shake my hand. My daughter later told me the word that described me was “giddy.” I don’t doubt that was the first time she had ever used that word in the same sentence as talking about me.
Murph now tours the country, speaking on behalf of his foundation, which seeks to alert kids to the dangers of performance enhancing drugs. I Won’t Cheat is an extremely worthwhile endeavor, and I intend to lend my support in whatever way possible.
That is why today, you won’t read any posts about politics, or crazy people doing crazy things, or why this country is headed down a dangerous path, or anything like that. Today, you will only find this post – a post about a great man who was a great player and now continues to do great things.
Today, you will read about how I came to have the luck to shake hands with a Hero.
There are lots of players who have great careers - players who can hit the ball, or throw the ball, or catch the ball, a lot better than their peers. However, very few can truly be called great people. What sets Dale Murphy apart from other players of his era, and indeed, from players of any era, was his work off the field.
Dale Murphy is, quite frankly, one of the cleanest and most honorable men ever to play professional sports. His picture should be beside the definition of “role model” in the dictionary. He never cheated. I can not remember a time when he lost his temper. He was simply the type person you knew you would love to count as a friend, and I have always felt he deserved the name Hero.
The reason I tell you about Murph (I can still hear Skip Carey on TBS calling that name) is that I had the distinct honor and great fortune to meet the man this weekend.
My daughter has developed a love for baseball. That thrills me to no end. She and I will go to the local park and catch a minor league game whenever given the chance. She has learned to keep a scorecard, and she listens carefully when I tell one of my long-winded stories about this player or that team. This has become one of our bonding rituals, and it’s time that I cherish.
We were at the park the other night, and they had announced since the season began that Dale Murphy was going to be present at the game. I had thought it was simply going to be an instance where he would toss out the first pitch (which he did), and maybe say a few words (ditto), and then he would head out, maybe to another speaking engagement. That last part was where I was wrong, and I should have known better.
Murph was going to set up camp and sign autographs for the fans. By the time the autograph session began, the line stretched halfway around the stadium concourse. I am not exaggerating when I say I believe there were more people in line to meet Dale Murphy than there were in the stands watching the game. My daughter and I waited patiently for our turn to stand in front of greatness.
Fortunately for Murphy’s hands, the people running the show placed a limit on autographs to one item per person. Although there were people who sought to abuse the rules, the vast majority of us in line waited our turn, oblivious to the game or anything else going on.
Finally the moment arrived. My daughter went first, while I snapped away with the camera, getting as many shots of Dale Murphy as I could. Then we swapped places and she took pictures as I handed over my one item to be signed.
I had thought long and hard as to what I would say to Mr. Murphy. After all, I could not take much of his time – there were still a lot of people behind us, and the line was moving quickly. But I wanted him to know I regarded him as a hero to all of us. What to say in a moment like that?
As he signed my card, I said, “You have always been one of my heroes, not for what you did on the field, but for the work you did off the field. A lot of us appreciate what you have done.” He smiled and thanked me, as he extended his hand. I was honored that he would shake my hand. My daughter later told me the word that described me was “giddy.” I don’t doubt that was the first time she had ever used that word in the same sentence as talking about me.
Murph now tours the country, speaking on behalf of his foundation, which seeks to alert kids to the dangers of performance enhancing drugs. I Won’t Cheat is an extremely worthwhile endeavor, and I intend to lend my support in whatever way possible.
That is why today, you won’t read any posts about politics, or crazy people doing crazy things, or why this country is headed down a dangerous path, or anything like that. Today, you will only find this post – a post about a great man who was a great player and now continues to do great things.
Today, you will read about how I came to have the luck to shake hands with a Hero.
Labels: Atlanta Braves, autographs, Baseball, Baseball Hall of Fame, Dale Murphy, hero, role model
posted by ramblingman @ 6/08/2009 10:47:00 AM
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