The chess match in baseball; Ashburn and lesser heroes

The sentiment has been expressed before and recently someone stated in no uncertain terms and strong tones their displeasure with the game of baseball. The reasoning went something like this as reasons were given for not watching baseball games: it was indicated that the game was boring because nothing was ever happening or going on in a baseball game.

Those feelings of the lesser competent in aspects of the game from little league all the way to the Major Leagues confronts this old writer’s thinking from time to time. There is no objection here if someone does not like or follow baseball. The point is the feeling or objection should be based on a valid ingredient of the game. The idea that nothing is going on is as far from the truth as one can stray and indicates ignorance to a great degree.

Yes, there are things going on not revealed in the actual action on the field. But from the time a coach or manager makes out the lineup and all through a game something is definitely going on or happening. And those intangible or abstract happenings are what make the game of baseball so rich and relevant.

It is here affirmed that when a rookie in the Major League goes to bat for the first time that much is going on. Also, with a bases-loaded situation and two outs with the winning run on base and the pitcher with ball in his hand, something is definitely going on. That is true before, during and after the ball is pitched.

It can be suggested here that much more than the outcome of the play rides on that pitched ball. When a fan comes to realize the consequences of any strategy or play relating to a manager’s, pitcher’s, batter’s or fielder’s career, the game will become more than a boring event. Whatever and whenever something is happening there are great consequences riding on every pitch — something is going on!

Richie Ashburn ( baseball player) exemplifies that status of every player on a team from the great and famous to the lesser knowns.

Readers may not be familiar with the great baseball player Richie Ashburn. At a recent meeting of our local Hall of Fame Board, only Todd Holbert had heard of the man who patrolled center field for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1948 into the 1950s.

There is no reflection here if you have never heard of Ashburn. He played in an era that featured great center fielders as Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider and was sometimes overlooked by fans of the game.

The overlooking is an attitude toward Richie Ashburn and less famous players at any level. During Ashburn’s career a friend said to me, ”Who is afraid of Richie Ashburn at bat?” He went on to observe that Ashburn was not a threat to hit a home run. Take a look at how wrong my friend was.

During his 15-year big league career, Ashburn twice won the National League batting title, finished second three times and batted over .300 nine times. His lifetime batting average was .308, and he is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

I have used Richie Ashburn to make a point about a team at any level. From the stars to those on the bench, there are potential heroes. Here is the appeal to recognize the value of every player on the team.

We have become familiar with the names of the heroes of Coach Diane Smith’s Lady Jacket State Championship tournament win. They are numerous. Let me name a few: Maggie McBrayer with her four victories from the circle, Maddie Bumgardner and Lyndi Rae Davis with their timely home runs.

Then there are others who contributed in the championship tournament. I can’t name them all but one play instills a hero status in my mind. In the seventh inning with her team trailing by a run and Anna Taylor reaching first base, Audrey “Fred” Wilbanks bunted Taylor to second base; Coach Smith then called on little Mattie Jane Mashburn to bunt the tying run to third. With precision Mashburn put the ball in a perfect spot and Taylor went to third. Team leading hitter Carlie Henderson then came to bat and drove in Taylor to carry the game into extra innings.

The eighth inning will always be a highlight of the 2017 season. Davis and Adella Carver walked and Maddie Bumgardner drilled her second home run of the game to carry the Jackets to victory and into the championship game the next day against Cook to win the state championship.

The moral of this whole section is don’t overlook the players down the line; they might rise up and be a hero when it really counts.