The Most Memorable Compliment I Ever Received
Shining Shoes, Bunting Baseballs, and the Importance of Small Things
Coach Myers made us shine our cleats before every baseball game. He didn’t go on and on about it, he simply said, “We show up like professionals.” To be sure, we did not look like professionals. Awkwardly lanky, overly cocky and generally clueless - we were your typical JV baseball team.
“This is ridiculous!” we would complain to one another as we quickly spread a layer of Kiwi Instant Wax Shine onto our cleats. “The second we walk on the field dust covers right over the polish!”
Of course, we never dared say those words aloud to Coach Myers.
Coach Myers was one of those old-school, do-your-job, no-excuses coaches. He was not your friend. He was not your confidant. He was Coach, and he had an appreciation for the little things, like shined cleats and teenagers who don’t talk back.
Also bunts. He loved bunting.
One game he gave me the sign to bunt so that our runner on second base could advance to third base. A “sacrifice bunt” in baseball parlance. I did it, and the runner advanced just fine.
To be sure, we lost that game. We lost nearly all of them that year. So, on the bus ride back home, Coach Myers stood up to talk about the game.
“&&#%-yeah! I am %&#% &@?!-ing proud! Absolutely !&#% !@?!-ing proud, I tell you!" Classic Coach-Myers-diction, for sure. Less classic was the way he was starting in with such high praise. And while, yes, he would get to the critiques, we all wondered, What had we done right?!
“Did you all see Bobby’s bunt?! That’s &&#%-ing how you do that &&#%! That’s some &#%-!@?!, &&#!@?! baseball right there!”
He went on for awhile giving poetic expression to the greatness of bunting, not worrying about paddings our individual stats, and always doing the next right thing - even if (especially if) it is the humble, &&#%-ing bunt.
I tried to play it cool like I heard that language all of the time, but truth is - I was church youth group regular, and I am rather confident that was the first time such unique strings of forbidden words had ever been laced together with my name centrally involved. It was dizzying.
And also this: I could not remember a time I felt taller, stronger, or more capable than when fiery, 6-foot 4-inch, almost-made-the-Majors Coach Myers gave me a compliment.
I’m bunting every at bat for the rest of my life!
Seriously, I was amped for days on that compliment.
Ultimately, I think I laid down another solid bunt or two that season. But you know what I most definitely did for each of the remaining games? I put away the Instant Wax and used real shoe polish on my cleats.
Wax on.
Let it dry…
Wax off.
Buff.
Sometimes repeat.
Why? I wouldn't have had the words to put it this way at the time, but the bottom line was this: Coach’s lessons were sinking in.
“We show up as professionals.”
For him, that meant giving attention, yes, to big things (pitching, hitting, and catching) but also the smaller aspects of preparation and execution.
The shined cleats that lasted all of three minutes but gave dignity to our work and showed respect to our opponents.
The bunts that barely registered on the stat sheet but exhibited humility, strategy, and a desire to work for the good of the whole.
And the memorable language?
Well, for some folks the tender phrase of “I like/love/appreciate you” is not native. Or if it is, they only know how to get it out with stronger language sandwiching the soft middle on either side. Fortunately, the sentiment is universal and so even naive, church-going ears can hear when that truth is peaking through the poetry.
I heard it then, and it still encourages me to think about the small things in my life - the preparation and execution alike.
What about you? Any shoe-shining routines? Any recent bunts on behalf of the team?
I am confident that it is often the little things in our life, family, and work habits that can most clearly exhibit the dignity, respect, and love we bring. And, even if we take another loss or two (or a few), the dignity, respect, and love we brought to the game will endure and grow far beyond the losing days.
Can I get a &#%-yeah!?
Recall lots of stories about this coach--never about the bunting compliment. Another fabulous Small Story.
I didn’t expect this story to resonate with me because baseball hasn’t been a sport I’ve spent much time with…. Well actually only in girls PE class 45+ years ago. However, the beauty of your story has sucked me right into the drama - I was right there and at the end I wanted the cleats on my shoes to sparkle and my attitude to ‘do the next right little detail’ for the benefit of the team of my fellow journeyers in life. Thanks for an attitude adjustment this morning.