tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594674.post-10151461355516181592007-08-27T20:51:00.000-06:002007-08-27T20:52:02.458-06:00<h2>Role Models</h2><br /><div align="center"><img src="http://homepage.mac.com/jfstrain/blogpics3/08.07/1littleleague.jpg" height="267" width="400" hspace="5" vspace="5"></div><br /><br />You may have missed it, but the greatest moment in the Little League World Series took place after the walk off homerun that won the game. The Japanese players were in the middle of the infield devastated at the sudden loss and unable to hide their pain. Some of them were crying; most hung their heads. A few feet away, the celebrating team from Warner Robins, Georgia took notice of their opponent’s pain. <br /><br />A celebration morphed into a display of compassion for the vanquished. Our American boys offered hugs and kind words. Such a sight to behold; I thought about how I wished our Major Leaguers would take a lesson from those boys. Baseball is a business sure, but it was a game first and the little leaguers demonstrated just how beautiful it could be.<br /><br />An act of kindness so pure and true to the meaning of sport was displayed for all to see, but the headlines focused on the winning homer. The greatest moment was missed by many. Had my son hit the winning homerun; it would not have swelled my chest with pride like the hugs offered to console the pain of losing.<br /><br />So hats off to those boys - may their kind gesture only foreshadow even better things to come in their lives.<br /><br />Until the next time<br />John StrainJohn Strainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05453617294405385771noreply@blogger.com