"Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand."

I can't verify who actually said that. Some sources say former Major League catcher and manager Wes Westrum said it. More sources attribute the quote to another long-time Major League manager, Leo Durocher.

Leo was known by many names: The All-American Out, Swamper, Lippy, and Leo the Lip. As a manager, he was quite well-known for his direct, often confrontational style. Though he left pro baseball many decades ago, he is still near the top of the list for most ejections from a game. He was also quite well-known for winning. He was not, however, known as a church-goer. It seems that if the quote truly is his, though, then he had some experience in the church world. At least enough to understand that most of us are in a process of making sense of the mysteries of faith… and baseball.

How is baseball like church?
Let's face it. Baseball frustrates the uninitiated. My young son exemplified this when he yelled "What are you doing?!" at a pitcher who had just issued an intentional walk. A key principle of the game is to keep runners off base. So why did the pitcher purposefully put a runner on?

We attend. But we don't understand.

However, baseball excites and inspires us, too. Some inspiration is found in the tension we experience while we are constantly searching for better understanding. I've followed the game for a few decades, yet each season reveals new and fascinating peculiarities to the game. I love learning more.

Should I expect anything different from church? Afterall, church and baseball hold many similarities...

"10 ways baseball is like church:

Most of us have some experience with it.

Sometimes it feels like it will never end.

So. Many. Traditions.

Long lines for food and drink.

It requires sacrifice.

At some point, we all get to stand and sing.

It's a team endeavor.

There's something beautifully unifying in traditions.

"Home" is the final destination.

Participants will never be perfect… but we get to play anyway."


https://www.umc.org/en/content/baseball-is-like-church

@Polly Ticks   @AllThatJazzZ

Is this her daughter or niece or both?



Ilhan Omar’s Daughter Suspended from College for Involvement in Anti-Israel Encampment

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D) daughter revealed that she was suspended from college for her involvement in a pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/18/ilhan-omars-daughter-suspended-college-involvement-anti-israel-encampment/