Awful Reminders
What if your every move was scrutinized? What if your judgment was constantly called into question? What if the only time that you got recognition was when you screwed up?
A major-league umpire for 31 seasons, Denkinger is best remembered for being at the center of the most controversial play of the 1985 World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals led the Kansas City Royals in the Series 3-2 and were ahead in the ninth inning of the sixth game, 1-0. Denkinger called the Royals' Jorge Orta safe at first on a grounder to the Cardinals' Jack Clark, but TV replays showed that the throw to pitcher Todd Worrell had beaten Orta to the bag. Kansas City went on to rally for two runs, averting elimination, and the next day won the Series.
Though infamous in St. Louis, Denkinger was a respected umpire who was served as an American League crew chief for many years. He retired in November 1998, but stayed involved in the game as an umpire evaluator and supervisor. (RTM/AG)
It's been 20 years, yet when asked you could still see the pain in his eyes. He just knew that he got the call right, but after the game he came to find out that he hadn't. Not only had he missed it, but he did so in front of millions.
When the crew toured his home & showed a wall dedicated to an outstanding 31 year career, it was there. A picture & a painting of that infamous play showing that Don had it wrong. When asked why he would have such an awful reminder of what was his lowest point of his career, he simply replied that sometimes you're up & sometimes you're down. These pieces serve to remind him of that & he even seemed to cherish & embrace them just as much as the rest.
I sat stunned. I watched a man that had received death threats on himself & his family & readily accepted who he was. A man that missed 1.
I wondered if I could do the same. If I were willing to put all my works on a wall in glossy 8x10's & lithograph for all to see, even my screw-ups. To come to grips w/your real self, scars & all is an amazing thing.
We've all got to be able to reconcile the past if we're ever to proceed in the future. We've all got to be able to learn from our mistakes to be able to move on. Hidden away, our flaws can only hurt us. Only when we face them w/honesty are we then ready to learn & grow.
A major-league umpire for 31 seasons, Denkinger is best remembered for being at the center of the most controversial play of the 1985 World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals led the Kansas City Royals in the Series 3-2 and were ahead in the ninth inning of the sixth game, 1-0. Denkinger called the Royals' Jorge Orta safe at first on a grounder to the Cardinals' Jack Clark, but TV replays showed that the throw to pitcher Todd Worrell had beaten Orta to the bag. Kansas City went on to rally for two runs, averting elimination, and the next day won the Series.
Though infamous in St. Louis, Denkinger was a respected umpire who was served as an American League crew chief for many years. He retired in November 1998, but stayed involved in the game as an umpire evaluator and supervisor. (RTM/AG)
It's been 20 years, yet when asked you could still see the pain in his eyes. He just knew that he got the call right, but after the game he came to find out that he hadn't. Not only had he missed it, but he did so in front of millions.
When the crew toured his home & showed a wall dedicated to an outstanding 31 year career, it was there. A picture & a painting of that infamous play showing that Don had it wrong. When asked why he would have such an awful reminder of what was his lowest point of his career, he simply replied that sometimes you're up & sometimes you're down. These pieces serve to remind him of that & he even seemed to cherish & embrace them just as much as the rest.
I sat stunned. I watched a man that had received death threats on himself & his family & readily accepted who he was. A man that missed 1.
I wondered if I could do the same. If I were willing to put all my works on a wall in glossy 8x10's & lithograph for all to see, even my screw-ups. To come to grips w/your real self, scars & all is an amazing thing.
We've all got to be able to reconcile the past if we're ever to proceed in the future. We've all got to be able to learn from our mistakes to be able to move on. Hidden away, our flaws can only hurt us. Only when we face them w/honesty are we then ready to learn & grow.
posted by lee at 2:56 PM
1 Comments:
gotta tell you bro, the hardest thing I have ever done is deal with the fact I missed it. got it wrong. it alost ruined me.
Thankfully, He is still drawing me, continually shaping and retooling.
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