Success

Wow! What a tournament. What we have anticipated for two years has come and gone so quickly. We all have less fingernails than we had a week ago. Words can't express the pride I felt for those boys and coaching staff last night when they walked up the hill. These guys have no idea the impact they have made in this community. Legion baseball was not dead by any means but I believe this team may have revived a sleeping giant that is Shelby Post 82 baseball. This team played at a level this weekend that I haven't seen in the 6 years that I have been watching. This is a credit to the coaching staff and players. Unfortunately, there will be many that will see this as a successful failure. To play this good and fall short by the smallest margin possible. This game will be looked at through the prism of the mistakes made not the good things that happened. This is normal. When I talked to Josh after the game the only number on his mind was the seven errors, most notably the two in the 9th. This, of course, coming from a player and now coach. I am positive that this is on the mind of most people. How unfortunate this is. This team has accomplished so much. No game ever comes down to one play or two. It takes nine innings of plays to make up a game. It also takes 18 players and 4 coaches. I applaud these guys. Robert F. Kennedy said, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly." I believe that there are great things in store for these boys because they relished the opportunity to play in front of 5400 people and give it their all. Sure, we made a few mistakes but this is where true success is bred. Havelock Ellis said it this way, "It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success." I know there are many guys starting college this year that will be back next year. These young men along with the guys still in high school have tasted something sweet and bitter at the same time. I believe this attitude will propel them to come back next year and be a bigger force in Legion baseball. Good luck to all until next year.