__________________________________
{SFTH} *Hit That Ball Willie* 5/16/01
__________________________________
If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to
spread the word to family and friends that we may bring
inspiration into the lives of many! If you are not on the list
and this has been passed along to you, join us by sending
a blank email to: Thunder27@aol.com
I appreciate any feedback or constructive criticism, so feel free to
write me (Michael T. Powers) and let me know what you think!
Just joined us and want to see all the past stories we've run?
Visit our inspirational website at:
http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com
_________________________________________________________
Hit That Ball Willie
By Bill Greer
Growing up in southeastern Michigan there was one certainty in life
for a young boy that was nuts about baseball: you were a Detroit
Tigers fan. My childhood dream was to be like my hero, Al Kaline, and
someday play for the Tigers. My Dad would take us to Tiger Stadium
(Briggs Stadium when I first started going to games) several times a
year and my man Al would never let me down. We never attended
a game that he didn't get at least one hit. I ate, slept and drank
baseball. If there was a game in the vacant lot next door I was
involved. When we couldn't find a game my best friend and
I would play whiffle ball or stoop ball. When we played whiffle ball
we had to bat just like the players in our line-up. I had Kaline,
Willie Horton and Dick McAuliffe down pat. We played organized
ball too, of course. First, it was t-ball, then Little League and
then Babe Ruth League. I still had my dream of playing for the
Tigers and was doing well at each level of play. Then things changed.
My Dad got a new job during the summer in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
This wasn't bad as far as football was concerned, since we moved there
during the Packers' "glory years", but the city high schools didn't have
baseball teams! I remained behind in Michigan when my parents and brother
moved so that I could finish playing in the state Babe Ruth League
tournament. Our team finished third in the state and played well even
in the games we lost. I even pitched a three hit shutout that we won 6-0.
When the tournament was over it was time to move on to Wisconsin.
Even though the high schools didn't have baseball teams, there was a
strong American Legion baseball program during the summer which I
signed up for the minute it was possible.
Our coach was a man named Bob Ohm that knew a lot of baseball
and taught each of us the fundamentals as well as more advanced
baseball techniques. I was fortunate to start at shortstop for him for
three years. My final year of Legion ball was when I was eighteen years
old and I had a great season. I had hits in every game and at least two
in all but one game. This enabled me to win the batting title with an
average of an even .500, which established a new record (which has
since been broken).
If things were tight and it was my turn to hit, our coaches wife would do
her best Flip Wilson impersonation and shout out: "Hit that ball Willie,
hit that ball". When I stopped laughing I would usually step back into
the box much more relaxed than I was before. During this final season
we went up to Marinette to play a double header. There were scouts
from four major league clubs there to see a left-handed pitcher from
Marinette and myself. This was it! My big chance! Holy cow!
Well, as the two ball games progressed I hit the ball very well getting
five hits in the two games. Unfortunately, I also made four errors at
shortstop. The final error actually drew laughter from the crowd. There
was a ground ball hit sharply up the middle and I closed on it from my
position at shortstop. Just as I was reaching for the ball it hit a pebble
and skidded low and back toward me. I stepped right on top of it, did
a half turn and fell on my fanny. After the game the scouts were nice
and still talked to me, but I only heard from or saw one of them after that
day...
The one that did come back saw us play a game in Green Bay
in which I had three hits. Unfortunately, I also had two more errors,
including hitting the first base coach right in the middle of the back with
a throw as he tried to get away from it. My dream of playing professional
baseball was doomed. That year, even though I won the batting title, led
our league championship team in runs and runs batted in as the lead-off
batter, and played every game at shortstop, I made the all-star team as
a left fielder because my fielding had been so terrible.
I was crushed at the time about the loss of my dream, but God has
a way of letting us know what he really wants us to do. All the while
I was playing and practicing to achieve my dream I was also coaching
at a lower level. Today, I am a middle school teacher and I coach
three sports at the high school level. I also have a beautiful wife, four
kids and two grandchildren. The relationships that I have enjoyed
with the students and athletes through the years and today are things
that you can't put a price tag on. My dream was to play baseball with
the Tigers, but to be able to help mold young lives is beyond a
dream -- it's a calling. Now I just want to be the most positive influence
on these young people I can be. I thank God for pointing the way.
Bill Greer
bgreer4182@yahoo.com
Send Bill an e-mail and let him know what you thought of his story!
_______________________________
Bill Greer, an eighth grade American History teacher, is married to Sally
and has four children -- Ryan, Jeff, Pam, and Jenn. He also has two
grandchildren, Paige and Anthony. He coaches JV football, is an assistant
varsity girls basketball coach, and a distance coach for track.
Note from Michael: Besides my father when I was growing up, Bill Greer was
the most influential male role model in my life. I for one, am glad that God chose
a different path for his life... I would greatly appreciate it if you took the time
to write to him about his story today...
Thanks!
_________________________________________________________
Thought For The Day:
"The mountain remains unmoved at seeming defeat by the mist."
-- Rabindranath Tagore
Verse for the Day:
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock
in whom I take refuge." --Psalm 18:2
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"When using the ceiling fan as a bat you have to throw the ball up a few
times before you get a hit."
Parent's Thought For The Day:
"It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's
good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure you haven't lost
the things that money can't buy." --George Horace Lorimer
Coach's Thought For The Day:
"Athletes play their hearts out for Coach Greer, not because they fear him, but because they don't want to disappoint him. When athletes play out of fear, or to show up a coach, their whole heart is not in it. But when an athlete plays hard for herself and because she doesn't want to disappoint a coach, then she is playing with her whole being. When that coach continues to build confidence, she begins to play hard not only for herself, but also for her teammates." --Michael T. Powers
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Even a broken watch shows the right time twice a day."
_________________________________________________________
REQUESTS:
The prayer request I have included below is from my niece from Kentucky who just had surgery on her back. Her mother is a year older than me 54 and is a good person who took in and raised 37 children through adoption and foster care in her lifetime to date. Please pray and send prayers for the support of her and the family at this time. She can be e-mailed at:
Cissilea1@aol.com
Thank you,
Jim
Furface48@aol.com
Uncle Jim,
Terror has struck again -- Mom is at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah -- She was having strong chest pains and she couldn't breathe -- they said that she has fluid in both lungs and they don't know about the heart yet, we'll probably be there until we find out how she's doing and/or what is going on my step dad took her down there about 6:30 tonight -- this really hurts a lot. I'm going for now - I'll let you know something when I find it out.
Love,
Rhonda
Cissilea1@aol.com
UPDATE:
Dear Michael,
I want to thank you and all your wonderful readers for their prayers and
words of encouragement for my son Christopher. Christopher had been very
sick and hospitalized with the worst kind of e coli bacteria there is.
Praise the Lord! He came out of the hospital like nothing had ever been
wrong. He never needed any medication other than the fluids from the IV.
Thank you again for a great daily email! I give God the glory and honor for
answered prayer.
God Bless You All,
Court Furber
thefurbers@juno.com
_________________________________________________________
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
_________________________________________________________
The copyrights to the stories that appear in SFTH are owned by the
authors and are used with their permission. We refuse to run stories
without the author's permission and contact info listed after the story.
We also refuse to publish stories listed as "author unknown."
(All of which violates Copyright law and the rights of the authors.)
This e-mail may be forwarded in its entirety, but please do not cut
and paste the stories to be used elsewhere unless you have
contacted and been given permission by the individual writer.
Thank you so much for honoring the rights of those writers who
graciously share their stories with us!
_________________________________________________________
Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business.)
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video we gave
them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty seconds my mom was
crying and my dad did too. They said it was the best Christmas gift we
could have given them!! You did such a beautiful job! They were so
surprised and so touched---they really, really, really loved it. Thanks
for helping to make it so special to us all. My mom mentioned how
the songs were perfect for the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli-- College Station, TX
Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html
AOL Users click here: Video Imagery
_________________________________________________________
Would you like to see your story in Straight From the Heart?
Writer's guidelines can be found on our Web site here:
http://storiesfrommyheart.com/writer_s_guidelines/
_________________________________________________________
SUBSCRIBE:
"I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!"
To become a Straight From the Heart Member send an e-mail with
"Subscribe" in the subject line to:
Thunder27@AOL.com
Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best
stories on the Internet!
_________________________________________________________
UNSUBSCRIBE:
All you have to do is send an e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the
subject line to: Thunder27@AOL.com
Give it a day or two to be processed...
_________________________________________________________
Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm
_________________________________________________________
