_________________________________________________________ F A M E F O R U M N E W S L E T T E R N A T I O N A L W O M E N 'S B A S E B A L L H A L L O F F A M E National Syndicated Column (contents are protected) Copyrights(c), NWB Hall of Fame, 1998-2008 TXU877085, TXU959430, TXU973266, TXU013972, TXU986753, TXU949885, TXU004037, TXU022893, TXU026161, TXU047111, TXU050230, TXU061149, TXU088068, TXU120937, TXU148132, TXU163784, TXU170668, TXU196853, TXU211917, TXU216769, TXU234252, TXU253116, TXU260664, TXU276615, TXU288273, TXU311442, TXU348663, TXU346055. Issue Number 00402 _________________________________________________________ Volume XI, Number 08 Publisher and Author March 22, 2008 Richard C. Jaffeson Washington, DC HallFame@usa.com http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame _________________________________________________________ 2007 NWB HALL OF FAME INDUCTION KRIS "LEFTY" RANISZEWSKI SEE THE WEBSITE FOR ALL "HALL OF FAMERS" http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame/albums DIDRIKSON, HOWARD, SCHILLACE, DANCER, FERGUSON, WINTER, WRIGHT, LUKASIK, MILLIKEN, BALLENTINE, GEYER, WALLACE, CIULLA, GUIDACE, MACURIO, SHELDON, BEAUCHAMP, HUDSON, BRENNEMAN, FERENO, SWEENEY, NELSON, DOMINGUEZ, TRIOLO TED WILLIAMS WEBSITE http://www.saveted.net _________________________________________________________ A. COLUMN: PLAYING FOR A HIGHER AUTHORITY "Hobbs sit down and listen up!" Mom Fisher snapped at her recalcitrant outfielder. "This guy will do you some good!" The Knights manager was red-faced with anger due to this blatant disobedience in front of her players after another inexcusable loss that Sunday afternoon, and she pointed to a bespectacled gentleman vainly attempting to lecture the team which was in considerable need of enlightenment from its traditional division perspective in the cellar, while Hobbs was proceeding out the door. "What'll do me good is when you play me," Rae Hobbs scoffed and continued to defiantly walk out of the Knights locker room where the benches had been rearranged in theater-style for a presentation, part of an ongoing series of so-called motivational instruction by one Professor Cornelius Knobb. "You got a contract to be on my team," Fisher reminded Hobbs of her obligation. "Everyone on the team will attend these sessions, as long as I'm the manager. And, that means you! No exceptions!" "I approved these little talks," Fisher excitedly tried to spit and only produced dry puffs of air, "and the Colonel is footing the bill. So, you're stuck!" "Well, I'm not staying for this stuff! I'm out of here!" Hobbs kept on walking, but a little more slowly. "Hobbs, I'll send you down," the manager warned, "breach of contract, and exactly what I want! If you step outside that door, you'll be gone for good." With those remarks, Rae Hobbs wheeled around for a more private conversation with the manager of the Knights. "Look, why don't you get someone to talk to the team who makes some sense," Hobbs bitterly complained, "not this mumbo-jumbo psychoanalyst babble. There sure are plenty of others like Gantry, Falconer, or Quigley." "The professor has done wonders all over the country from coast to coast," Fisher countered. "He cured a water polo team in Brooklyn of its habitual malaise and performed a miracle with the San Francisco Philharmonic. Before they had his sessions, none of them could play a note." "What this team needs is spiritual guidance," Hobbs pursued that line of thought. "Every sports club should have a minister or pastor. Even in the army, chaplains are with nearly every unit." "You mean prayers before games," Fisher speculated, "and being there for support afterwards when we lose." "If we get this right," Hobbs offered, "it won't be needed that much afterwards, except to give thanks." "You mean have God on our side?" Fisher smiled. "Sort like a tenth player on the field?" She paused, rubbed her chin, and laughed, "Ha! Triple threat, --hit, run, and field." "He has three parts alright, and could be right there with everyone," Hobbs explained. "It's sort of personal, but the Lord doesn't take sides in sports competitions. Both teams could evoke His name, so how could He make a choice between the two? On what basis?" She continued and offered an answer, "We shouldn't ask for victories over opponents or material things. We should call for God's presence, praise Him, give thanks for the gifts He bestows, and ask that we utilize those talents to the greatest extent possible for His sake to demonstrate and glorify what He has created, and not to beat someone. We are here to do His will in all our worldly endeavors, even in baseball." "Remember when Memo needed an operation," Hobbs offered another example. "She didn't pray for God to cure her, but asked for His presence and blessings so if successful she would rededicate herself in whatever time He provided to continue doing His work. The Lord will listen to that type of prayer." "OK, I see your point about the team," Fisher reconsidered. "We need a chaplain, minister, or pastor; not anyone else, someone who is ordained to provide prayers in front of any congregation, and in this case that motley group is our team the Knights." Mom Fisher suddenly realized, as Hobbs did earlier, that the wrong person was up there on the podium, it wasn't a preacher. She knew why Hobbs wanted to depart the scene. "Yeah, that's right," Hobbs smiled when she saw a flash recognition in Fisher's eyes, "If someone wants to call upon the Lord by themselves, that's one thing, but before the team that person must be qualified and approved for praying by a higher authority. We'll do what's righteous when the Lord is with us. He always is, it's a matter of remembering His glory and name, because when we do we're playing for a higher authority." Note: Significantly modified from "The Natural," 1952, by Bernand Malamud. B. NWB HALL OF FAME PRODUCTS These baseball items are available from the NWB Hall of Fame: commemorative buttons (2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, and 1999), t-shirts, caps, and bats. Free commemorative ribbons are available. The website main page has an order form, and the photo page displays several items. http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame C. HISTORIC TIMELINE March 20, 1973 Roberto Clemente induction MLB Hall of Fame. March 21, 1934 Babe Didrikson pitches inning in exhibition game for the Philadelphia Athletics. March 22, 1952 Bob Costas birthdate, broadcaster. March 22, 1979 Christen Powell birthdate, racecar driver. March 23, 1881 Gavvy Cravath birthdate, MLB player. March 24, 1893 George Sisler birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 24, 1945 Priscilla Presley birthdate, Elvis offspring. March 25, 1918 Howard Cosell birthdate, broadcaster. March 25, 1966 Tom Glavine birthdate, MLB pitcher. March 25, 1971 Sheryl Swoopes birthdate, baseball player. March 26, 1930 Sandra Day O'Connor birthdate, Supreme Court. March 27, 1879 Miller Huggins birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 27, 1899 Gloria Swanson birthdate, film actor. March 27, 1902 Chicago Cubs adopted their nickname. March 28, 1899 August Busch birthdate, MLB executive. March 28, 1973 Wilt Chamberlain retires from NBA with 1,045 games, 14 seasons, never fouled-out. March 28, 1989 Cathy McAllister and Stefni Whitten pitch back-to-back perfect games in softball for Southwestern Louisiana College. March 29, 1867 Cy Young birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 29, 1918 Pearl Bailey birthdate, singer and actor. March 29, 1944 Denny McLain birthdate, MLB pitcher. March 30, 1904 James Ripper Collins birthdate, MLB player. March 31, 1823 Mary Chestnut birthdate, Civil War author. March 31, 1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays first MLB game. March 31, 1998 Arizona Diamonbacks first MLB game. D. FAME FORUM ISSUES Volume XI, 2008 Season Publications Number 08, Playing for a Higher Authority (Natural), March 22. Number 07, Prayerful Pearl (Janis Joplin), March 14. Number 06, Reigning at Ringside in Ritchie (boxing), March 11. Number 05, Tales of Narda: Origin of the Magic Bat, February 28. Number 04, Clifford's Favorite Store (Ballentine), February 15. Number 03, Bases Loaded, Reel Two, (baseball movies) February 12. Number 02, Bases Loaded Remake (Sunset Boulevard), February 2. Number 01, That Was the Year That Was, January 2. http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame/handouts E. NWB HALL OF FAME PROGRAMS The National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame, an independent not-for-profit organization established September 1998, is situated in suburban Washington, DC. The objective is to recognize achievements of women in regulation baseball. The NWB Hall of Fame offers these programs for participants in regulation baseball with organized leagues. Managers are are encouraged to recommend recognition awards and suggest articles on their teams, players, or events. Applications are available through email and are posted on the website. NWB HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS Nominations for the NWB Hall of Fame are due September 30. Inductions may include four current and one previous players by formal application or candidate statement. NATIONAL MVP AND MANAGER AWARDS MVP player and manager award requests are due December 31. Season nominations should be by a manager or administrator. One MVP player per team may be selected annually. Membership covers transmission of newsletters, announcements, invitations, applications, and access to all website pages. Membership is $9.00 renewed annually, and an application is available on the NWB Hall of Fame website. _________________________________________________________ NATIONAL WOMEN'S BASEBALL HALL OF FAME Richard C. Jaffeson, Executive Director PO Box 15282, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20825 301-847-0102 HallFame@USA.com http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame "National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame" is a registered trade name with the State of Maryland. MD672265, October 19, 1998. Programs, articles, and contents presented herein are protected under provisions of the U.S. Copyright Office, Library of Congress. Fame Forum registrations are listed below. TXU877085, TXU959430, TXU973266, TXU013972, TXU986753, TXU949885, TXU004037, TXU022893, TXU026161, TXU047111, TXU050230, TXU061149, TXU088068, TXU120937, TXU148132, TXU163784, TXU170668, TXU196853, TXU211917, TXU216769, TXU234252, TXU253116, TXU260664, TXU276615, TXU288273, TXU311442, TXU348663, TXU346055. Copyrights(c), NWB Hall of Fame, 1998-2008 __________________________________________________________