(May 1, 2008)
You may have missed seeing the Western Oregon vs. Central Washington women’s softball game. And in case you missed seeing this story on CBS, CNN or your local news, I would like to share it with you. The kindness, sportsmanship and grace stunned me to tears. It restored my faith in hu-man-and-woman-ity.
By George Vecsey
New York Times
“The moment of grace came after Sara Tucholsky, a diminutive senior for Western Oregon, hit what looked like a three-run homer against Central Washington. Never in her 21 years had Tucholsky propelled a ball over a fence, so she did not have her home run trot in order, gazing in awe, missing first base. When she turned back to touch the bag, her right knee buckled, and she went down, crying and crawling back to first base.
“Pam Knox, the Western Oregon coach, made sure no teammates touched Tucholsky, which would have automatically made her unable to advance. The umpires ruled that if Tucholsky could not make it around the bases, two runs would score but she would be credited with only a single. ("She'll kill me if I take it away from her," Knox thought.)
“Then Mallory Holtman, the powerful first baseman for Central Washington, said words that brought a chill to everybody who heard them: "’Excuse me, would it be OK if we carried her around and she touched each bag?"
“The umpires huddled and said it would be legal, so Holtman and the Central Washington shortstop, Liz Wallace, lifted Tucholsky, hands crossed under her, and carried her to second base, and gently lowered her so she could touch the base. Then Holtman and Wallace started to giggle, and so did Tucholsky, through her tears, and the three of them continued this odd procession to third base and home to a standing ovation.
"Everybody was crying," Knox recalled Tuesday. "It was an away game, and our four fans were crying. We couldn't hit after that."
The extra run made it easier for Western Oregon to win the second game, 4-2, and sweep the doubleheader. More important, all involved realized they had taken part in an event they would always remember.
The question is, where did it come from, this impulsive gesture by Mallory Holtman?
"She hit it over the fence," Holtman said Tuesday. "She deserved it. Anybody would have done it. I just beat them to it." [end quote]
Mallory and Liz, after watching the flagrant fouls in the NBA playoffs, the embarrassing drugs and lies in professional baseball, the selfish million dollar signing bonuses for college-turned-pro football players, I am not so sure “anyone would have done it”. Thank God you had the sheer human decency to rise above the competition. Your act of amazing grace blesses us all. And thanks; I needed a good cry!
From The Quote Garden
“The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms.”
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
You may have missed seeing the Western Oregon vs. Central Washington women’s softball game. And in case you missed seeing this story on CBS, CNN or your local news, I would like to share it with you. The kindness, sportsmanship and grace stunned me to tears. It restored my faith in hu-man-and-woman-ity.
By George Vecsey
New York Times
“The moment of grace came after Sara Tucholsky, a diminutive senior for Western Oregon, hit what looked like a three-run homer against Central Washington. Never in her 21 years had Tucholsky propelled a ball over a fence, so she did not have her home run trot in order, gazing in awe, missing first base. When she turned back to touch the bag, her right knee buckled, and she went down, crying and crawling back to first base.
“Pam Knox, the Western Oregon coach, made sure no teammates touched Tucholsky, which would have automatically made her unable to advance. The umpires ruled that if Tucholsky could not make it around the bases, two runs would score but she would be credited with only a single. ("She'll kill me if I take it away from her," Knox thought.)
“Then Mallory Holtman, the powerful first baseman for Central Washington, said words that brought a chill to everybody who heard them: "’Excuse me, would it be OK if we carried her around and she touched each bag?"
“The umpires huddled and said it would be legal, so Holtman and the Central Washington shortstop, Liz Wallace, lifted Tucholsky, hands crossed under her, and carried her to second base, and gently lowered her so she could touch the base. Then Holtman and Wallace started to giggle, and so did Tucholsky, through her tears, and the three of them continued this odd procession to third base and home to a standing ovation.
"Everybody was crying," Knox recalled Tuesday. "It was an away game, and our four fans were crying. We couldn't hit after that."
The extra run made it easier for Western Oregon to win the second game, 4-2, and sweep the doubleheader. More important, all involved realized they had taken part in an event they would always remember.
The question is, where did it come from, this impulsive gesture by Mallory Holtman?
"She hit it over the fence," Holtman said Tuesday. "She deserved it. Anybody would have done it. I just beat them to it." [end quote]
Mallory and Liz, after watching the flagrant fouls in the NBA playoffs, the embarrassing drugs and lies in professional baseball, the selfish million dollar signing bonuses for college-turned-pro football players, I am not so sure “anyone would have done it”. Thank God you had the sheer human decency to rise above the competition. Your act of amazing grace blesses us all. And thanks; I needed a good cry!
From The Quote Garden
“The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms.”
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
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