I read recently about one of the most touching
moments in sports I’ve ever heard about.
It took place at a women’s softball game on April
26. Central Washington and
faced off against each other, with the winner to receive a bid to the NCAA’s
Division II playoffs.
Sara Tucholsky, a
player, came to the plate in the second inning with the score tied 0-0 and two
runners on base . Sara had never hit a home run in her lifetime. However,
things were about to change. She connected on a pitch and hit the ball over the
center field fence. Due to her excitement, she missed first base. So she
stopped and turned to go back to the base. But when she made the sudden stop
and turn, she collapsed to the ground, having torn her ACL.
Her first base coach wanted to run out and help
her, but if she touched Sara, she would have been counted out. As Sara lay on
the ground, umpires conferred and determined that the best thing to do was to
allow
runner at first base (which would have canceled the home run).
The coach prepared to make the substitution when
she heard a voice: “Excuse me, would it be OK if we carried her around and
she touched each bag?'” You see, in softball, a teammate can’t touch a
player while running the bases, but there’s no rule that says the opponents
can’t touch her. So Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace, two players on the
opposing team offered to carry Sara around the bases so that her home run would
not be counted as a single. These two players gently picked up Sara, and
carried her around the bases, allowing her to tap each base along the way.
After reaching home plate, these two girls handed Sara off to her own
teammates.
When asked later why she did it, Mallory Holtman
said, “Honestly, it’s one of those things that I hope anyone would do it
for me…” In other words, she was
practicing the “Golden Rule” –
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
There’s not much I can add to a touching story like
that. May it serve as an inspiration to find ways in your own life to look for
people who could use a hand. When we are less concerned about
“winning” than we are about helping others, we can truly begin to
reflect Jesus Christ in our lives.
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do for
you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew
7:12)
