When Michael Jordan played for the Bulls they would start each game in a huddle and one guy would yell, “What time is it?” and the rest would respond, “Game time!”
So I’m playing high school baseball and I’m playing third base. As a good baseball player all my life I have all the appropriate superstitions. Baseball players are notorious for being superstitious. What else are they going to do with all that time between plays. Hats on backwards = rally caps. Handshakes as you cross the plate. Certain warm ups in the on deck circle.
I had many.
One was if we won two games in a row, I would stop washing my socks.
Two was I wouldn’t get fully dressed for the baseball game until I got to the game. I would carry my jersey and not wear my cleats.
Three was I would NEVER wear my team hat for anything other than games.
Four was I would carry a letter from my grandma in my back pocket.
That has carried over to my golf game. I always have 4 white tees and one purple tee in my pocket and I never use the purple tee. I also hit every ball from the practice bucket…except the last one. Always leave the last one.
Another baseball one was I would wear a watch. I wore a black digital sports watch. Everywhere. All the time. Even during games. One game was a district championship and I played third base. Which meant I was right next to the other teams bench. All game long I got razzed. All game. “What time is it third?” “What time is it third?” All game, all the time. It’s what baseball players do….because they’re bored! Even when I got up to bat the catcher would say it over and over.
I had a great game. Played really well. Game came down to the last inning. We were up by 1 with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th. Other team was up to bat and still razzing me from the bench. The guy who was up to bat hit a shot down the third base line. I reached over and backhanded it. Looked at my watch…looked at their bench…said, “Time for you all to go home” and I threw the guy out and the game was over. Never took that watch off even through college.
Why do I bring all this up? I’m not real sure. I think it comes from today someone asked me what does it mean to forgive myself. I’ve talked about it before but I really have to separate 12 year old Brint from 54 year old Chuck. Once I do that then I can forgive myself for not stopping what happened. Because I will realize that i was 12 and couldn’t have. So to do that I need to try and remember what it was like to be 12. Maybe that’s what I’m doing today without realizing it. Reminiscing about being a kid.
And somehow in doing so…I feel lighter. Pain in my chest is heavy today…but yet I feel a little lighter.
Brint's Blog 