Baseball philosophy: winners and losers

Let's start with the good/relieving news: Tanner Houck is okay. Anyone who can sustain a line-drive to the FACE and not lose consciousness, who can walk off the field and salute the fans, is one tough guy. Last night's Sox/Yankees game was a rout; when Houck got hurt, the Sox were already up 13-1. I was afraid that, given the nature of the injury, the bullpen would be shaken up and the Sox would lose in spectacular fashion. They did not, though the Yankees did rally for a few runs. Final score: 15-5. Nice.

That said, it's a rough outing, both for the players and the fans. The players will reconvene on the field at Fenway for another go at it tonight, and I suspect things will not be quite so lopsided, score-wise. It never is. But the game, and the potential for injuries, is a part of how we live, metaphorically. How do we respond to potentially devastating events? With grace and dignity, like Houck, or like TFG? (You know I had to slip that in there.)

The bigger message, I think, is more about spectators. How do we react and act when we witness a blow that could end a career? A life? Do we rally, or are we so interested in hurting back, in claiming a victory for our champion, that we become "sore losers," an angry group that feels so out of control of a situation that we descend into id behaviors? 

None of us is perfect, all of us feel the hurt sometimes, whether it is for personal losses or for the ones we witness and can't do anything about, at least directly. Even Jesus cleared the temple area with a knotted rope and a whole lot of righteous anger. (That scene in the Bible has given me more solace than I am able to convey.) Our national political scene is embarrassing, and a lot of people are getting hurt, both physically and emotionally. It is draining what is left of the golden aura of "Americanisms" -- and I'm not sure if that is a depletion or a revelation. It's exhausting, nonetheless. 

I hate seeing people hurting so much that they feel the need to blame and lash out. I hate to see people get hurt while we can only watch and wait. My nature is to be part of a solution, and sometimes I feel so impotent to impact any situation positively that it makes me knotted-cord angry. This is where Tanner Houck, and so many other icons like him, comes in. I should be able to gather myself enough to walk off any field of contention under my own power and salute my fans. 

It's a good metaphor, I think.

Have a good day,

C