In honor of Major League Baseball’s Postseason beginning this week, I thought it might be fun to share an adapted version of my father’s Commencement Speech for The Black River High School (Sullivan, Ohio) Class of 2013— “Everything I Ever Needed to Learn in Life, I Learned from Baseball.”  To put this into context, my father, Bruce Lorincz, LOVES baseball.  He played it, coached it, still umpires baseball and softball (see above as he recently umpired the annual grudge match between Wadsworth Ohio’s Fire/EMS Department vs. Police Department), reads about baseball history, watches every baseball movie, and has been a rabid fan for years.  Growing up we had to root, root, root for the home team—the Cleveland Guardians.  Quite literally I had to contemplate how to break the news to my father as gently as possible that Neill is a New York Yankees fan before they met!  Anyway, here are the five life lessons Bruce on the Loose shared from our great American pastime:

Lesson One: Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. 

Jackie Robinson was not welcomed with open arms by the press, fans, other teams, or his own teammates.  He faced hostile crowds wherever he turned, but the risk he took in 1947 allowed the game of baseball to be integrated and helped the nation think about Civil Rights differently.  We all need to consider taking risks, getting outside of our comfort zones, and sticking our necks out.  The rewards for being bold can be great.  Or to use another baseball metaphor, you can’t steal second base with your foot still on first!

Lesson Two: Don’t be too proud to let a veteran show you the ropes.

No position in baseball is more demanding than being a catcher.  You are the captain of the defense, the messenger of signs to the pitcher and the individual who throws out potential stealers.  On November 11, 1942, the New York Yankees signed a gangly, awkward-looking 17- year-old from St. Louis.  Yogi Berra needed a mentor and got a great one in Hall of Famer Bill Dickey.  Dickey took the novice catcher and gradually gave him some life-long lessons in catching, and Yogi turned out to be a pretty good player himself.

We all need mentors.  My father encouraged those high schoolers to take the advice of veterans and ask questions to clarify specific techniques of their craft.  And for those of us who are a little older, we can be mentors and pass on our knowledge.  From baseball, we learn the importance of ushering in a younger generation to play the game.

Lesson Three: If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.

He was born in 1967 in Caracas, Venezuela.  His manager Mike Hargrove once said he is the best shortstop to play the game, and announcer Bob Costas said that he could field a ball under water.  Omar Vizquel loved playing shortstop for the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians).  He was always smiling or laughing in pregame warm-ups.  He had the smallest glove imaginable so he could flip the ball to his second baseman or make a throw to nip every runner.  Omar was selected as the Gold Glove winner nine consecutive times in the American League.  He was optimistic and humble, staying after games to sign autographs for children and other fans.

We can have positive attitudes and love what we do.  If you think that your glass is half full and good things will happen to you, it’s sometimes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  At the end of disappointing seasons, my dad always says “we’ll get ‘em next year!” 

Lesson Four: Don’t settle for anything less than your best.

Since it happened over a century ago, few people know about the World Series of 1905.  The New York Giants were thought to be no match for the Philadelphia Athletics and Connie Mack.  Christy Mathewson was a gentleman in a ruffian’s game, a sportsman among brawlers.  All he did in the 1905 World Series was pitch 27 scoreless innings, gave up 14 hits, one walk, and struck out 18 batters.  Christy Mathewson was a charter member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Dedication to be the best is a lofty goal.  Having a solid work ethic is essential to success in life. 

Lesson Five: On a baseball team, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

Think about a baseball team and all the different positions—pitcher and catcher, outfielders and infielders, base coaches and managers.  We all have our parts to play and it takes a team to win.  You can have the best individual players, but if you’re not working together and backing one another up, you won’t be very good. 

I always love the moment when there’s a pop up and someone on the field tends to call it, looking up into the sky and declaring, “I’ve got it!”  Yet you usually see another player or even two hover around to back them up if needed.  It takes a unified team to win a baseball game.  No one can operate in a vacuum.  The best organizations seek for people to be part of the team—respecting each other, communicating openly, and working for unity.

Some great lessons to keep in mind for life (and maybe for church, too).

Love,
Pastor Lauren

P.S.
Love you dad, and Go Guardians!

Thursday Thoughts 10/2/25