Yesterday was one of those days that just seem perfect! RuthAnn, good friends and I were at the ball park. I don’t think there is anything more American or more ‘home’ than being there, a baseball game. The smell of the field and hot dogs. The crowd loving their team and the players still reminding me of days gone by. Days when I stood in left field anticipating the fly ball. But more than that reminding me of my home park, Wrigley Field.
I have to admit, I am forever a Cubs fan. Born in Chicago and tied to the North side, not the South of those White Sox. There was nothing better when I was young than to sit in the bleachers of the ‘old park’ and watch my team. Losing as they did so often, made no difference to us. They were our heroes and lose or win we were loyal.
But there was one season that stands out and if there was ever a time I could have lost all hope for my team, it would have been in 1969. When that season began we all had hopes. The perianal cellar dweller Cubs had finished in second place the year before and this year the league had been broken down into divisions for the first time. At that time, it was a confusing mess for those of us who just knew National and American League teams. For reasons to lengthy to explain here, the Cubs ended up in the East division with their hated foe the St. Louis Cardinals and the ‘come lately’ New York Mets. While teams from farther east like the Atlanta Braves were in the West, strange! But at the time it seemed a sure thing it was a break for the Cubs, no one in this division were better.
The team was strong, with a mix of old and new. Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo, long time heroes, were joined by lesser knowns like Jim Hickman. With Fergie Jenkins and Ken Holtzman on the mound, it was sure to be our year. And it started out better than we could have imagined, Cubs winning 11 of the first 12 games. Not looking back by August, they had an 8 ½ game lead and were a shoe in for the division title. Then it happened, September arrived!
The Mets had been coming on since mid-August, but they were still 5 ½ back going into September. But now the Cubs could not hold a lead, or something would happen that led to a loss. It was bad. Losing 18 of 25 down the stretch the Mets kept winning and blew by them to win the division and eventually go on to be World Series champs. Ever to be known as the Miracle Mets. Cub fans so hopeful in the spring of 1969, would never see a Championship until 2016.
There has been a lot written why that team collapsed. Some who are superstitious believe it all started when the Cubs were at Shea Stadium and a black cat walked behind the ‘on deck’ circle while Ron Santo was coming up to bat. Others have blamed errors in that game by Don Young that led to an unrecoverable loss. Most think manager Leo Durocher overplayed his regulars and the team just ran out of gas by the end of the season. It makes no difference to a fan; the pain of that season never seems to go away.
It is strange to me how our loyalties to a team are so deep. We are willing to expose ourselves, with body paint, standing in below freezing temperatures stripped to the waist. Stand in lines for hours waiting to get a seat. Travel miles to follow our team. Cry when they lose and soar with joy when they win. For some that team is everything. Why? After all it is just a game, right?
Really, there is a bigger question for a Christian, why don’t we have that kind of deep loyalty to a truly ‘winning’ team led by a superstar, Jesus Christ. I have been in church on a Sabbath near Superbowl Sunday and heard more conversations about that game than about worshipping our God. Believe me, I am not pointing fingers unless it is at me. I recall with dismay conversations that expose me as one of the crowd, for sure. So why is it we struggle with worship of the One who deserves all of ours but can devote a life to worldly pursuits?
Maybe we need to spend a little more time contemplating verses like this, “For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols. But the LORD made the heavens.” (Psalm 96: 4-5) When I read this it puts it all in perspective. The things we worship become who we are. If we spend all our time worshipping a team, a TV show or even our job, we are worshipping the creature instead of the Creator. Maybe today we need to put God first and spend more time in worship of Him.
If we have the right perspective, a day like yesterday becomes more beautiful. I was at a game, but it was the beautiful day and my beautiful wife that brought joy. Friends to share with and having fun in the crowd made me smile. Even though I carry the memories of losing seasons gone by, I know truly this is our winning season, when we put Him and His Word first, we cannot lose!
Blessings John,
8/20/18
