Tie Game? "Let's Tear This Place Apart!" - Chief Wiggum

One of the local television stations likes to showcase toddlers playing T-ball at a backyard baseball diamond every Tuesday night on the 6:00 and 11:00 news. The camera records the four and five year old kids running the wrong way on the bases, underthrowing or overthrowing the first baseman, and if they are being "cute little darlings" wearing oversized Blue Jays hats then the camera will also show kids picking their noses in the outfield, or pulling daisies as the game-winning hit scoots past them for the game tying and winning scores. While most people enjoy watching that five-minute segment, debate rages over the pre-determined outcome of every game to save kids from crying, not being invited to team birthday parties, or not having anyone from the team attend his/her birthday party.

Games destined to be ties or drawn, and "everyone gets a trophy" day are two of the major ideas bandied about in the backyard leagues of many, baseball in particular, to make every child a winner (except for the winner). To be fair, no matter what happens in a contest, the object of the game at that age is to have fun. Every child should have fun, in the pure sense of the word. This mode of thinking trickled its way into backyard or house league sports for tykes as well. However, do children in these organized tie games learn anything about leadership, sportsmanship, respect, and hustle? If do, will they see those kinds of results on the scoreboard? After all, that is why there are different teams, teammates, and rules of the game, practices, coaches, assistant coaches, umpires, etc. Of course, no one likes to lose, and in a perfect world no one should lose on the playing fields, or in life. However, if the idea of "no one will be sad, because everyone will be the winner" would be reversed to say "nothing will make a difference, because no one wins", how do these tie games look now?

How would it look to the general public, during a Tuesday T-Ball game, if a five-year old standing in the outfield stood up and said "I'm going to pick daisies, instead of go after that groundball because, whether I do it or not, the game will end in a tie." At what age would it be appropriate to teach "hustle" and "playing to the whistle" because it would make a difference? Would we know who Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Sean Rodriguez is, if those lessons came a year or three too late?



When did the ideas of hustle, heart, and 'love of the game' take a backseat to grassroots, er, diamond socialism? It is possible to have fun while learning something along the way; could this be a link to childhood obesity? There is no way of knowing for sure, but do not be surprised if a link is present. Nevertheless, when hustle happens the difference makers stand out, even if only one person notices, and it trickles through everyone who bears witness to it.

Now, the third baseman inside would say, "Run to third base, get the force out, and get out of Dodge." Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge did have the first step, with the lead runner's head turned the wrong way, Inge could get the force at third, or even make the long throw to first base to get the batter Elliot Johnson, and end the inning. On the play in question, Rodriguez did beat the tag, if not TIE with the second baseman for the Detroit Tigers #LOL

However, there is no way to beat "Hustle and Heart"; they will win every time.