What constitutes teamwork?

"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." Babe Ruth

Is experience an advantage?

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards." Vernon Law, Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher

How do you help others?

"Life is precious and time is a key element. Let's make every moment count and help those who have a greater need than our own." - Harmon Killebrew

Life, business, sales, relationships, marriages....Helping is the greatest gift of all....I always remember my two year old daughter being taught the Help sign in sign language and how her face would look when she would use it and really want my help. From our first days here on earth, the need for assistance, for support both physical and emotional, for touch, for love, for aid, for comfort - the need is as basic to our survival as food and water.

What are your 3 keys to success?

"They key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals and three-run homers." - Earl Weaver, Baltimore Orioles Manager

Ask another manager in the National League, you may get a different answer. Perhaps speed, defense and situational hitting.

No matter your endeavor...baseball, life, sales, archery, or being a successful husband...force yourself to focus on three specific items. You may be surprised at the results if your clarity improves on these how all the other activities (your life, your job, your career) all seem to come together as well.

"Luck is the residue of design." - Branch Rickey, St. Louis Cardinals General Manager

"Luck is the residue of design." - Branch Rickey, St. Louis Cardinals General Manager

The design of your day, your approach, your overall strategy to do what it is you do. Whether sales, management, process, quality control or lawyer, having this in place every day creates the focus you need. Often at the end of the day those who had the best plans and the boldness and dedication to act.....those people seem just a bit luckier than the rest.

Visualize to Win.

"Two things help me be a winner. One is I try to stay on an even keel. I don't get too high or too low. Two is I do a lot of visualization. I never see a bad pitch. I always see a good one."
Ila Borders, first woman starting pitcher in a men's professional baseball.

Casey at the Bat

Casey at the Bat
by Ernest Lawrence Thayer ©

Published: The Examiner (06-03-1888)



The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And its likely they'd a-killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.