As you can see in the post below, this is just a kids game we are all still blessed to be playing and can be put in perspective easily enough to even the most untrained of eyes when something as poignant as happened in Darnell's life yesterday... If life hasn't already dealt him enough tragic blows, and while we all take them on occasion, there is something so mysterious and powerful about the timing of such things in life at times that they can overwhelm even the strongest of us...
So yesterday morning at 0800 hrs I received a phone call from Darnell informing me that he was not going to be able to make our winner-take-all game 3 of the Championship due to his sister Shelly being on her death bed and having received the call himself from the hospital telling him to come say his goodbyes. Obviously heartbroken and emotional to the extent he simply asked me to wish the guys well and even apologize for such, despite my insistence that was clearly not necessary or important and everyone would most certainly understand. Hell, they'd even commend and pray for him...
And so it was in a long, tumultuous year, but even more so in a local baseball legend's life span. As so kindly and eloquently posted by my former colleague the good Dr Jim Ansel, this is his swan song and final farewell to the capital district in which he was born and raised in more ways than one. And well, capital district baseball has been at the heart and very soul of Darnell and thus the Baker family for most all of his life. And in a very emotional discussion recently, he even acknowledged to me the very human difficulty of coming to grips with our aging processes and making the paradigm shift from being a dominant player to a role player amongst other younger, more agile athletes. It's just a natural struggle which is so clear for so many of us to see in others and yet not ourselves...
This discussion was in a calmer moment after an embarrassing outburst in which he had a disagreement with another teammate and coach. His competitive fire still burning and the yearning to not only still win, but dominate was apparent. And we struggled... And we lost that game... Almost lost the next game without him too... And that's when it happened...
I asked Bob Altobelli, a man of God with a deep prayer life to pray with me and help heal the situation as the last thing I wanted was for Darnell's baseball legend to end with a whimper like that... Darnell graciously agreed to mend fences and come back to us as I think everyone knows we only have 11 players. Yep, it's 11 super-stud baseball players for sure, but make no mistake, it ain't a picnic attempting to weave all those dominant personalities together under one dugout roof... And I had clearly not been doing a very good job of developing a team cohesiveness like the Giants had so often displayed... I had felt for the last couple of years we were the more naturally talented team and yet they kept beating us... Because they are a team and we were mostly just a bunch of individual studs pretending these games really mean something to anyone else but ourselves...
And then it happened... Darnell and Lex put aside their pride and both men humbled themselves... Bakes came back to us for the semi's against the very formidable Braves team which had just knocked off the other perennial power ~ the Cubbies... Bob very kindly and willingly accepted my invitation to start leading us in prayer before each game, just as I had grown up with in Alabama. My high school baseball coach later became the SEC's Executive Director of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and we always seemed to perform above our heads as well...
And so it was... And so it came full circle... And happened again...
We beat the Braves in the semi's... It was a dominate performance... Darnell was our most consistent hitter and even went yard in his first AB back. A no doubter bomb to LF...
And next came the Finals... And we kept praying... Bob kept leading us... Lex remained humble... Bakes the same... Everyone came together...
In game one we were down 2-0 in the top of the third after Stevie Lou had retired the top 6 in our powerful batting order. Bakes led off the top of the 3rd with a first pitch dinger to dead left off of another local baseball legend... After we had all greeted him at home with hugs and love, Dave Smitherman (Smitty, who had been shutting down their equally potent line up all year, followed with yet another on the very next pitch... We all fed off of that and went on to score the next 14 runs...
Lost game two 2-1 in a classic barn burner...
And well, to bring it full circle and back to the beginning of this story ~ Darnell showed up for game 3 after all... His family told him they know he is most comfortable and "at home" on a baseball field... And to please go be with his guys and "at home." He promptly went 3-3, played flawless defense (all with a pulled hamstring to boot), and pitched the final 3 outs in 1-2-3 fashion...
Shelly passed away and went home as well at 1315 hrs. Exactly about time the game was ending and we were accepting the trophy from President John Reel. And he was having a discussion with me about who the MVP was... And there are plenty of candidates... And the numbers are impressive... We were dominant ~ offensively, defensively, and pitching... But not because of A person... Because of "us" being human to each other...
The numbers don't matter... The baseball dominance doesn't matter... The MVP doesn't matter...
Darnell matters... Shelly matters... We ALL matter...
To everything a season... And this season has passed... With the fondest of farewell's to a man I will always remember with love and fire in my heart... Until we meet again my friend...
Baseball is a way to God >>> if one allows it to be... If WE allow it to be... And WE allowed it to be this weekend... The 2016 Bombers...
Peace and Blessings to everyone in the off season... Hope to see ya'll out there again soon enough...
-- Edited by Marcus Aurelius on Monday 10th of October 2016 11:01:04 AM
-- Edited by Marcus Aurelius on Monday 10th of October 2016 11:20:44 AM
-- Edited by Marcus Aurelius on Monday 10th of October 2016 12:17:47 PM
Congrats to the Bombers on winning the Championship and thoughts and prayers to Darnell, who is one of the classiest players in our league. Very impressive performance from the team and Darnell to carry on and win the deciding game under those circumstances.
-- Edited by jmcquade on Monday 10th of October 2016 09:29:07 PM
Outstanding post Mark (not Marcus). It was your best ever! The emotions that you guys experienced came pouring through.
Congrats to the Bombers on the championship that you have chased for a number of years now. The fact that you guys came together and played as one because your teammate was hurting, I believe, is the reason that you guys got over the top. We as individuals can't accomplish anything close to what we can when we are all united, and pulling in the same direction.
The timing of Darnell's sister passing was a sign from above, that this is how we all need to act, all of the time. Put petty differences aside and unite like family, putting the needs of the whole ahead of our personal needs.
I am really proud to be a part of this group of men, that happen to share the love of this wonderful game, and develop life long friendships that go way beyond the ball field. Your prayers were answered, and God was with you as you supported a beloved teammate in his hour of need! That will be something that you will never forget, and hopefully spread, through your telling of this story for years and years.
We all gained from your experience! God bless you all!
Regarding baseball.............We showed up to play the games. You guys showed up to WIN! You outplayed us on every level of all the levels in baseball. Congratulations! Bob and Dave were awesome! Carlos is you secret weapon - very versatile really good ballplayer! Lex - you shut down a pretty good hitting team on two consecutive days! Great job!
For Darnell - great ballplayer! I'm (we're) terribly sorry about your sister. Amazing that you were able to focus! Peace be with you! We all wish you the best of luck in Florida! Take care, Darnell!
Mark - very profound thoughts on the close to your season. While as a team, you may have seemed dysfunctional at times, to a man, you have a great group of guys, who I enjoy getting to see on umpire assignments. Congrats to all the Bombers on a fine season, and championship! Your post reminded me of all the best of this league, that I have worked and played in for 20 years. I know I will miss not seeing Darnell between the lines and off the field. I appreciated him as a competitor, and had the privilege to be a teammate for a couple of seasons - there is none better! I personally expressed my sympathies to Darnell on Sunday evening. I also had the distinct pleasure of umpiring for his son, Spencer (a ringer for D.), and referee his very talented daughter, Maria, in basketball. As much success as he has had on the field, you can readily see how great a parent and husband he has been for his family - the true measure of a man. All the best to all the Bombers for a healthy, happy off-season, and moreover, may Darnell find all the peace and happiness he richly deserves on his relocation to Florida (again putting his family first).
