Redemption Sox

This space has historically been used for spiritual thoughts. But occasionally I will share some more personal things. And sometime the two dovetail, as when I opine about shows I am involved in at EPAC. (Just finished a run of Sondheim’s Assassins there.)

Well, another of my passions is the Boston Red Sox, who just completed a six-game victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2013 World Series. Now, I am not a person who likes to over-spiritualize things. By that I mean I avoid the awkward imposition of pre-conceived spiritual (read: right-wing, fundamentalist Christian) patterns on ordinary life. That being said, I do believe that the tangible and spiritual worlds are connected. In fact, I would maintain that they are the same.

Anyway… the 2013 version of the Red Sox is a template of redemption—one of the greatest themes in life. Beginning with the historic collapse in September of 2011 (losing 13 of 20 games), the team was a mess. There was a controversy about players over-indulging in beer and fried chicken in the clubhouse; some whiny, detached, over-valued players; a manager who ended up being the goat of all the woes; and a general manager who seemed incapable of turning things around.  The 2012 season took the team from the proverbial frying pan and into the fire. They won only 69 games and finished last in their division. So there weren’t any lofty expectations on this year’s model. Sure, everyone agreed that they would be better, but NO ONE saw them making the playoffs, let alone winning it all.

Maybe more than any other sport, baseball is a microcosm of life. With a 162-game season, sometimes each one seems like a lifetime. There were questions aplenty. How good wood the pitchers be? Were some of the old veterans able to perform at the same high level? How would the low-risk, unsure value free agents do? Would the new manager really be able to right the ship? Well, obviously every issue resolved itself pretty well. As a fan, I could tell pretty early on that despite all the uncertainty, this would be a team that is fun to watch and easy to root for. And after the miserable aforementioned span, that was a lot. There was some promise of success, but even after a rather positive start, most fans and pundits had no inkling of October baseball in Boston.  In fact, many had written the team off. They were hopeless.

Here is where life can surprise you. It seemed like everyone in the organization—players, coaches, managers, and front office—took the business of baseball seriously yet had fun doing it. Commentators started talking about everyone approaching the game “the right way.” Players tried hard all the time. Ground balls were run out. Outfielders always went full-out after fly balls. And what’s more, they all seemed to get along. I don’t think that can be overrated. Perhaps it all culminated in the response to the Boston Marathon shootings. The team was in Cleveland when the tragedy occurred, but they held a rally of support on returning to Boston. It seemed that the whole organization took its city's pain personally. When a team, an organization becomes a true community, it takes on a life that truly is much more than the sum of its parts. That’s certainly true of the 2013 Sox. 

Hopefully, we find ourselves in those kinds of communities in life from time to time. And while we may never see World Series levels of success, we can certainly expect a life-giving experience. And there are only 166 days until Opening Day!