Brother Matthias was a mountain of a man. Standing 6 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 250 pounds, he was every bit a giant, an imposing figure. But that didn't scare a little boy named George in the least. He was seven years old, the new kid in school, and he looked at Brother Matthias in awe. To George, the big man seemed like Goliath. He tried his best to copy Brother Matthias' every move, especially when the man demonstrated his considerable strength and skill in the Big Yard, the playing field at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys in Baltimore. Of all the things George saw Brother Matthias do, what impressed him the most was watching a ball take flight from the big man's bat. Years later George described the first time he saw such an awesome display of raw power, and the impact it had on the rest of his life:
"I think I was born as a hitter the first day I ever saw him hit a baseball. I can remember it as if it were yesterday. It was during the summer of 1902, my first year in St. Mary's. Brother Matthias would stand at the end of the yard, a finger mitt on his left hand and a bat in his right, toss the ball up with his left hand and give it a terrific belt with the bat he held in his right hand. When he felt like it he could hit it a little harder and make the ball clear the fence in center field. It would have to carry at least 350 feet...I would just stand there and watch him, bug-eyed. I had never seen anything like that in my life, nor anyone who was even close to Brother Matthias when it came to manliness, kindness, and grace." **
Inspired by Brother Matthias' exploits, young George decided to give baseball a try, too. To his delight, he found that not only was he able to hit the ball, he could catch it, throw it, and run the bases, too. And the more he played, the more he liked playing. Brother Matthias saw George's budding interest in baseball, and set aside extra time to teach him the finer points of the game. George took to learning more about the game, as some would say, like a fish to water, doing his best to imitate everything Brother Matthias did:
"George copied his swing from the way Brother Matthias used to toss up the ball and hit it with a sweeping, uppercut motion; George learned to run the same way Brother Matthias ran, with small, pigeon-toed steps; George even tried to emulate the quiet humility with which Brother Matthias lived his life. And when George would fall short of that goal in the years to come, as he frequently did, it was always to Brother Matthias he would turn for help. Brother Matthias had faith in George at a time when few people did. And for George, Brother Matthias was quite simply 'the greatest man I've ever known.' "**
When young George left St. Mary's twelve years later, it was Brother Matthias who offered meaningful words of encouragement ("You'll make it, George."**), letting George know he believed that he would be successful. George took his words to heart and did make a success of himself, though most people who speak respectfully of him in the 100 years since the day he left St. Mary's know him by a name more familiar and immediately recognizable. History calls him The Babe:
You see, had it not been for the presence of a gentle giant in a young boy's life, a man who watched, disciplined, demonstrated, and believed in young George at a time when he needed it most, the world might never have been introduced to the man called the Bambino, the Sultan of Swat, with the booming bat, bombastic voice, and larger than life personality that set the heart of many a child to soar and to dream of what could be possible.
I share this "feel good" story with a purpose, to let you know that in your life some little George (or maybe even Georgette) sees you as a Brother Matthias figure. Maybe you aren't skyscraper tall, and maybe you can't hit baseballs so high and so far that they seem to enter their own orbit, but you can make an impact in somebody's life. I'm not saying you need to be perfect, to be flawless. What I am saying is that in whatever station of life you find yourself, you can be an example to people around you. Whether you stand or fall, you can inspire others to great heights. Even when things don't work out like you planned, you can still stand tall in humility and grace, showing others that "...a setback is a setup for a comeback..." (Willie Jolley)
Somebody sees you, somebody hears you, somebody is looking at you to see if you can show them by your example that what they hope to achieve is possible. It is said that children live their lives according to to the expectations placed on them, whether up or down. Adults do the same thing. We all look for somebody to embrace us as we are, and to believe in what we can become. What you say and do can encourage others, or discourage them. You can inspire people to reach great heights, or frustrate them down to the depths of despair, based on the words you speak, the things you do.
Never take lightly the ability to make a difference in somebody's life. You don't know what others are going through, and you may not know what it means to somebody when you give them a kind word, a pat on the back, a hug, or any simple gesture that demonstrates how much you believe in them. That applies to all areas of your life, whether personal, or business life, or parenting, or any relationship of importance you may have.
So the next time you're tempted to believe that your life is one big STRIKEOUT, look around, because someone in your life thinks you're a HOME RUN going somewhere to happen, and they believe you can show them how to hit one, too.
That's all, folks...until we meet again, remember:
Keep it simple....See ya!
**taken from "Up Close: Babe Ruth, A Twentieth-Century Life," by Wilborn Hampton
Also look here for additional information:
http://cooperstownersincanada.com/2010/07/17/the-greatest-man-that-babe-ruth-ever-knew-was-a-canadian/
A Setback is a Setup for a Comeback
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