Don’t Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Growing up, I enjoyed watching baseball games on television, memorizing the statistics of various players, and collecting baseball cards. During the 1970s, I endured many mediocre and losing seasons by my favorite team: the Minnesota Twins. After I moved to Minneapolis, the Twins won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. I went to a few Twins games, briefly worked at a concession stand in the Metrodome, and attended a celebration at the stadium after the team won one of their American League pennants. It was an exciting time to be a Twins fan.

My interest in baseball has since declined. One reason was a 1994 players’ strike which dragged on into 1995. Around this time, Major League Baseball added wild card teams to the postseason. I’ve never agreed with this. If a team isn’t good enough to win its division, then it shouldn’t have the opportunity to be declared “World Champions.” It cheapens the need to play well enough the whole season. The NFL, NBA, and NHL have approximately half their teams making the playoffs. MLB owners want to increase their current 10-team postseason format to 14 out of a possible 30 teams.


Nevertheless, I went to a few games in 2013 and 2014 while living with a Twins fan. This man dressed up in a pinstripe suit he created and called himself Mr. Minnesota. My roommate would buy me a ticket in exchange for taking pictures of him as he walked around the stadium. By then, the Twins had moved to Target Field. It is an impressive place to watch a game (though I don’t like the corporate name).


Unfortunately, politics have invaded Major League Baseball like other sports. Last year, commissioner Rob Manfred moved the All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver because he opposed a new voting law enacted in Georgia. Ironically, the World Series came to Atlanta with the Braves winning it.


Now it’s been announced a lockout has caused the cancelation of Opening Day games and the first two series of the 2022 season. One issue is the minimum salary for players currently at $570,500 per year. The Major League Baseball Players Association want that increased to $775,000. The owners offered $615,000, but the players refused. That reminded me of a 1976 commercial featuring Butch Wynegar. The Twins rookie catcher loved baseball so much he would play for nothing. Then-Twins owner Calvin Griffith declared, “I love that kid!”


I will always enjoy playing baseball with friends though I’m not that good at it. I also like playing baseball video games. As for watching Major League games on TV and at the ballpark, I will skip it this year even after the lockout gets resolved. Commercialism and greed have taken over America’s National Pastime.


“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” - 1 Timothy 6:10

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Gospel Soul Winning Script

Image
During my early days with evangelism, I developed an approach called the Survey Technique . By asking short direct questions, you can maintain control of the conversation and find out quickly what a person’s spiritual beliefs are. Although the Survey Technique has helped me lead thousands to the Lord, I’m still open to utilizing new methods in reaching people with the gospel. Rodney Howard-Browne 's ministry uses a tool called the Gospel Soul-Winning Script , which originated during their Good News New York campaign in 1999. I became familiar with it a few years later during evangelism outreaches with Rodney’s church in Tampa, Florida. At first, I resisted using the script. I found it restrictive and thought sinners wouldn’t be receptive to me reading the whole thing to them. Then while taking part in a 2009 outreach with Rodney’s ministry in Washington, D.C., my team leader asked me to “stick with the script.” Wanting to maintain unity, I complied with his request. Initially it fe...
Read more

Toking the Ghost Revisited

Image
Back in February 2007, a fellow missionary I was traveling with started talking about “smoking the weed from heaven.”   He would pretend to have a joint of marijuana between his fingers and have “smoke breaks with Jesus.”   He also encouraged other believers to take “hits.”   I was a bit uncomfortable with this idea but didn't contest it. Then in October of that year, I heard John Crowder preach on “toking the Ghost” at a church in my hometown of Fargo, North Dakota.   I was inspired to make a video with John to share with my missionary friend.   During the filming, I experienced much laughter. I decided to make the video public figuring other people might enjoy it also. Two weeks later at a church in Minnesota, I heard Benjamin Dunn share testimonies of people getting healed from “toking the Ghost.”   This was just before he and John Crowder started ministering together.   I believed this was God confirming His word in the mouth of ...
Read more

A Tribute to Al Best

Image
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This tribute is for one who went home to be with the Lord last Sunday. Al Best oversaw Light in Anoka Church in a northern suburb of Minneapolis. Originally from Florida, Al first gave his life to the Lord at 17 but then backslid. Meanwhile, he served 21 years in the Navy and worked various jobs. That included selling Rainbow vacuum cleaners. I would eventually get to know his sales manager. Eric Gonyon became an associate pastor at Rodney Howard-Browne ’s church (I usually attend services there when in Tampa).  A few years after recommitting his life to the Lord, Al became a pastor. In 2007, the Lord directed him to head north to Minnesota, where his wife Jean is from. First, they ministered in the small town of Dassel. What started as a youth mission transitioned into regular services for all ages. Then in 2016, Al and Jean moved to Anoka to take on a church originally called New Day Fellowship. To counter the city’s motto as the “Hallowee...
Read more