Just in time for Spring Training here are Hall of Famer Chief Bender's Ten Baseball Commandments, and how they speak to us in sports, school, and life. (Note* Bender was one of Major League Baseball's first true All-Star Pitchers in the early 1900s, playing for four different organizations. His rules have been listed in bold.)
1) Nobody ever becomes a ballplayer by walking after a ball. You need to work as hard as you can both in the classroom and in the game. Academically and athletically, you need to hustle. And you need to have the discipline to maintain that hustle.
2) You will never become a .300 hitter unless you take the bat off your shoulder. You can't just stand there - life will pass you by. You'll miss opportunities, open doors, and networking connections. You need to be a mover and a shaker. You need to be in attack-mode, and if opportunities aren't presenting themselves, you need to create your own. You need to swing, you need to try. And once you do, don't simply settle for .300. Aim for .400, .500, and beyond.
3) If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today. Everyday is a chance to make something of yourself, to further define your life. Say you went 4-for-4 yesterday and drove in the winning run. Congratulations. But remember that games aren't won in one inning, a season isn't made by one game, and a life isn't defined by one day. Go BIGGER, get BETTER. Work to put on a show today - hit a few doubles, a homerun, and make all of the defensive plays.
4) Keep your head up and you might not have to keep it down. Be proud. Know how hard you've worked to get to where you are and don't let anyone take that away from you. Be confident in yourself and continue to have respect for others. Further, be a leader. Work with those around you - tell them your story, share with them the experiences and skills that shaped your life. Work to build a better team, and a better life, together.
5) When you start to slide, slide. He who changes his mind may have to change a good leg for a bad one. When you decide that you're going to do something, do it. All out. 100%. If you're going to attempt to steal second base then you HAVE to get there. Move as fast as your legs will take you. If you're applying for college or a job be prepared, do your research, ace the interview, craft a personal statement masterpiece. Make the decision, stick with it, excel in it, OWN it.
6) Do not alibi on bad hops. Anybody can field the good ones. Success is consistently proved for those who can be persistent, who are able to take both the good and the bad - a bad bounce, an unfortunate event. Hey...sh*t happens. It's how you act and react to that which defines you, bringing you to your version of success.
7) Always run them out. You can never tell. It's worth repeating...you need to HUSTLE. While it may seem as though it wasn't your best hit, just GO. Take the potential 'out' and turn it into something positive. Have faith in yourself and your abilities. Hard work, practice, and maybe some luck is what go you into this position. Hustle is what will propel you onward.
8) Never quit. Never. Ever. That moment of weakness? Laziness? That's when you need to dig deeper.
9) Do not find too much fault with the umpires. You cannot expect them to be as perfect as you are. You cannot worry about what others are thinking, saying, or feeling. There will always be naysayers, detractors, competitors, and people that, plain and simple, want to rain on your parade. No one is perfect (not even you) so you can really only worry about yourself - be selectively selfish. Push on, and do what makes you happy, proud, and comfortable. You only live once.
10) A pitcher who hasn't control hasn't anything. You need to have as much control of yourself, and your actions, as possible. Gain control by prefacing your games, tests, and life with practice, planning, and staying organized. Know yourself, know your limitations. Make smart decisions...and then stick by them. You're not going to pitch a perfect game, but you can pitch a complete one.
1) Nobody ever becomes a ballplayer by walking after a ball. You need to work as hard as you can both in the classroom and in the game. Academically and athletically, you need to hustle. And you need to have the discipline to maintain that hustle.
2) You will never become a .300 hitter unless you take the bat off your shoulder. You can't just stand there - life will pass you by. You'll miss opportunities, open doors, and networking connections. You need to be a mover and a shaker. You need to be in attack-mode, and if opportunities aren't presenting themselves, you need to create your own. You need to swing, you need to try. And once you do, don't simply settle for .300. Aim for .400, .500, and beyond.
3) If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today. Everyday is a chance to make something of yourself, to further define your life. Say you went 4-for-4 yesterday and drove in the winning run. Congratulations. But remember that games aren't won in one inning, a season isn't made by one game, and a life isn't defined by one day. Go BIGGER, get BETTER. Work to put on a show today - hit a few doubles, a homerun, and make all of the defensive plays.
4) Keep your head up and you might not have to keep it down. Be proud. Know how hard you've worked to get to where you are and don't let anyone take that away from you. Be confident in yourself and continue to have respect for others. Further, be a leader. Work with those around you - tell them your story, share with them the experiences and skills that shaped your life. Work to build a better team, and a better life, together.
5) When you start to slide, slide. He who changes his mind may have to change a good leg for a bad one. When you decide that you're going to do something, do it. All out. 100%. If you're going to attempt to steal second base then you HAVE to get there. Move as fast as your legs will take you. If you're applying for college or a job be prepared, do your research, ace the interview, craft a personal statement masterpiece. Make the decision, stick with it, excel in it, OWN it.
6) Do not alibi on bad hops. Anybody can field the good ones. Success is consistently proved for those who can be persistent, who are able to take both the good and the bad - a bad bounce, an unfortunate event. Hey...sh*t happens. It's how you act and react to that which defines you, bringing you to your version of success.
7) Always run them out. You can never tell. It's worth repeating...you need to HUSTLE. While it may seem as though it wasn't your best hit, just GO. Take the potential 'out' and turn it into something positive. Have faith in yourself and your abilities. Hard work, practice, and maybe some luck is what go you into this position. Hustle is what will propel you onward.
8) Never quit. Never. Ever. That moment of weakness? Laziness? That's when you need to dig deeper.
9) Do not find too much fault with the umpires. You cannot expect them to be as perfect as you are. You cannot worry about what others are thinking, saying, or feeling. There will always be naysayers, detractors, competitors, and people that, plain and simple, want to rain on your parade. No one is perfect (not even you) so you can really only worry about yourself - be selectively selfish. Push on, and do what makes you happy, proud, and comfortable. You only live once.
10) A pitcher who hasn't control hasn't anything. You need to have as much control of yourself, and your actions, as possible. Gain control by prefacing your games, tests, and life with practice, planning, and staying organized. Know yourself, know your limitations. Make smart decisions...and then stick by them. You're not going to pitch a perfect game, but you can pitch a complete one.
RSS Feed