Stories: Faith and Baseball

To follow along with the theme Life is Like Baseball, I wanted to share stories of faith and baseball. Indeed, there are so many to choose from, I narrowed it down to a couple of my favorites.

Broadcast Booth

Keith, writer of the Nostalgic Italian, sent me a quote from Tiger Broadcaster Ernie Harwell. “I praise the Lord here today. I know that all my talent and all my ability comes from Him, and without Him I’m nothing and I thank Him for His great blessing.”

Ernie called the play-by-play for the Detroit Tigers for 42 years. The American Sportscasters Association ranked him 16th on its list of Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time. Also, according to Wikipedia, “Harwell would also begin the first spring training broadcast of each season with a reading from Song of Solomon 2:11-12 (KJV): “For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.”

Ernie accepted God in 1961 at a Billy Graham crusade. He continued to share his faith through the Baseball Chapel, an evangelistic organization for professional ballplayers.

Harwell lost his battle with cancer in 2010. Thousands of fans payed their respects as he lay in repose in the Tiger’s Comerica Park. The Tiger’s uniforms wore flags with his initials and declared May 10th as Ernie Harwell Day at the Park.

The Dugout

Next, we head into the dugout with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He led the Dodgers to two World Series titles in five years and agreed to a new contract that will keep him with the team through 2029.

Roberts often talks openly about his faith, especially leaning on his belief in God during a cancer battle in 2010. On the Get in the Game podcast, he says, “I think my faith got me through it emotionally and mentally. The doctors were amazing. I just really believe that my faith got me through it.”
Roberts said, “The game always has been, always will be, about the players, so you have to really understand who these guys are individually. Having that servant mindset to want to help others, it always gets you back to that gratitude piece, that we’ve got it pretty good and there’s other things outside of baseball,” he said on the podcast. “And I think that ultimately will make you a better person and a better ballplayer. I really do.”

But, when asked about what he wants his legacy to be, Roberts says, “I love the Lord, I love my family, and I was a great teammate.”

Now, out on the field, here are a couple of my favorite player’s stories. Just to be clear, I am not a huge Dodgers fan. I just love this next story!

The Pitcher’s Mound

Pitcher Orel Hershiser, in 1988, was pivotal in helping the LA Dodgers win the World Series. Also, Orel won the Cy Young award, National League Championship MVP, National League Player of the Week, Pitcher of the Month, and made the National League All-Star team.

The Baseball Hall Of Fame writes, “After leading the NL in innings pitched (264.2) in 1987 and earning his first All-Star Game selection, Hershiser put together a season for the ages in 1988. He led the Dodgers to the NL West title with a 23-8 record, including a league-best 15 complete games and eight shutouts. En route, he worked 59 straight scoreless innings–breaking the record of 58 2/3 set by former Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale.”

James Paulgaard, who serves at Walnut Grove Lutheran Church in Canada, shares his sermons on the Farewell to the Shadowlands website and posted this story about Orel Hershiser.

Here’s Johnny

“Shortly after the World Series victory, Orel Hershiser appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson [Season 27, episode 8, airing October 21, 1988]. Johnny had noticed that during games, as he sat in the dugout, Orel appeared to be singing, and asked him about that. Orel said that he would sing a hymn to himself, and it was the same hymn every time, to help keep calm while facing the intense pressure of pitching in a Major League Baseball playoff game. Johnny asked Orel if he would sing to the Tonight Show audience what he sang in the dugout. So Orel sang,

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God, all creatures here below,
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

James writes, “Dear friends, the reason that we can be people of hope in a hopeless world is that the grace of Jesus Christ has changed everything for us. It has changed who we are, it has changed how we live, it has changed where we are going. That’s why we, like Orel Hershiser, can praise God wherever we are.”

Amen James! Lastly, I am a big fan of my last pick. He is my favorite example of faith and baseball: Aaron Judge.

The Outfield

At 6’7” tall and weighing 282 pounds, the New York Yankees outfielder is a power hitter. Aaron Judge keeps stacking up awards. He has six All-Star games, two American League MVP awards, and AL Rookie of the Year in 2017. He holds the American League record for most home runs in a season with 62 in 2022. Judge received the Roberto Clemente Award for his philanthropic work, founding the All Rise Foundation.

Judge is not shy about sharing his faith. His X page banner quotes his favorite Bible verse, 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” He said on a radio broadcast, “I try to live my life by it, and always trust the Man Above and what He’s got in store for us. We never know what’s around the corner. But, if we have faith in Him, He will lead us in the right direction.”

Below the banner, his bio says, “Christian. Faith, Family, then Baseball. If what you did yesterday still seems big today, then you haven’t done anything today!”

Who will let their light shine and make baseball history this season? Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack! I can’t wait to see it!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Hebrews 12:1-2