Baseball, Faith and the Coal Region: When The Sun Only Came out on Sunday

My Grandmother would tell me the stories.

Miners given wages of pennies a day and charged for the equipment they used. They were in debt to the company at the end of an eighty hour work week. Famlies dreded the Black Maria, the horse drawen coach that heralded the death of a miner. Famlies would wait in the streets watching to see where the Black Maria would stop. They would wait to see whose body was being brought home.

My great grandfathers would get up before the sun had risen and go home after it set. This was their life saturday-saturday. But not on Sunday.

She would tell me, "The sun came up on Sunday."

And what did they do? On this one day, when they could take the small moments to remember the dead and celebrate the living...what did they do?

They went to Church as a family.
They had a long meal as a family.
They played baseball as a family.

The sun was out, and the Son was with them.

William Kashatus says, in his excellent book Diamonds in the Coalfields:

"After morning church services people would walk home to eat their dinner and then make their way slowly to the nearest ballfield to watch two of the local semi-professional teams play ball."
The games were underway by 2pm. These Anthracite Leagues existed well into the 1940's. Faith, family and fun. All on the one day. The holy day. The week revolved around this day, and the lessons of keeping the sabbath holy were clear.

My grandmother would tell me stories of these games. There was very little pitching until late in the game. Kashatus verifies this in his book. Scores of 20-19 were common.

But what did it mean, these Sunday games. Kashatus again echos my grandmother and her mother before her:

"For the old men, "Greenhorns" who were the earliest of the european immigrants, Sunday baseball was the highlight of their entire week. "Who ve going to play dis noon." They would ask in broken english. When they were satisfied that their afternoon plans remained intact the would encourage the young men of their congregation to, "Play hart and vin because ve going to voot for you gut today." It wasn't that these old greehorns loved baseball. In fact, they would spend most of the afternoon along the sidelines playing cards and trying to understand what was going on in the game. These immigrants attended Sunday afternoon baseball for the same reason they tried to speak english, it helped to identify their Americaness, thier sense of belonging to this country."

Or as my grandmother put it, "They played baseball because that's what they had together as Americans. They worked together from different countries and had God, baseball and the mines in common."

Two Great-Grandfathers, 14 uncles and great-uncles and dozens of cousins died in the mines and my father worked there all of his life. When I was 11 dad had a minor heart attack. He drove me to my baseball game, then went to work. He worked for a few hours and had a larger heart attack. He told me, years later when I asked, that he did that because if he had the heart attack at work then we would have the money to go to college.

That was how they all were.

I asked my grandmother once what they prayed for in Church and why they did all of that hard work. She said they prayed that their children and children's children could be free to worship as they wanted and not have to be miners. And that's why they worked hard.

Men and women who I have never met suffered and died for the hope of a better life for people they would never meet. Because of that, it has never been hard for me to understand that a man 2000 years ago, who was God come to us, did the same for us all.

When I was a kid, I practiced for little league on the same field that my Grandmother and Grandfather's parents had played on during those Sunday games. Down the way from the mine and a block away from the church. We didn't live in that town anymore, we lived a town over, but we practiced there.

I went to college. I Got an education. I Worship how I choose. And I played baseball more than one day a week.

And for me, the sun was out every single God given day.

My life, is a prayer answered. A prayer offered on the day the week revolved around.

God's day.

A day for Church, family and baseball in the coal region of Pennsylvania.

Christianity and Baseball. Lessons of Christ in the National Pastime

When I was young I wanted to be two things. A priest and right fielder/first baseman for the New York Yankees. I spent my days in right field thinking about Babe Ruth and God. Baseball and Jesus. I was thinking so much that I really didn't catch many balls. I could hit though.

It turns out I was not good enough to be a baseball player and I was not called to the priesthood. But to this day when I pick up a ball, a bat or a mit...something happens. I'm a kid again. And the basic lessons of both the national pastime and Christianity fill me on a summer day.

I plan to do a few posts over the summer on religion and baseball. The first one today is about a conversation that I read about that has always stuck with me. It was between Branch Rickey (owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers) and Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the color barrier in baseball.

The lessons of Baseball and faith are not always easy. Baseball was the first industry in America to integrate. But the fact that it was not up until that point is a mark of shame. But when Rickey met with Robinson, their conversation came down to this point:

Rickey: "I know you're a good ballplayer. What I don't know is whether you have the guts."

Robinson: "Mr. Rickey, are you looking for a man who is afraid to fight back?"

Rickey, exploding: "Robinson, I'm looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back."

And here is the lesson of Christ. Robinson was fighting. He was just doing it peacefully. He was the man Rickey was looking for who had the courage. The man with the courage to take abuse and turn the other cheek at every step. The abuse Robinson took is epic.

Curses.
Violence.
Insults.
Death threats.
Threats to himself.
Threats to his family.
Threats to the innocent members of his race in the stands.

Abuse was hurled faster than the pitches and thrown from every corner. Robinson stood tall. And because of his courage he did not stand alone. His courage inspired others. Pee Wee Reese, the great and well loved Dodger made a stand too :

He refused to sign a petition that threatened a boycott if Robinson joined the team. When Robinson joined the Dodgers in 1947 and traveled with them during their first road trip, he was heckled by fans in Cincinnati, Ohio. Reese, the captain of the team, went over to Robinson and put his arm around his shoulder in a gesture of support which silenced the crowd. The gesture was especially telling because Reese was born and raised in then-segregated Louisville, Kentucky.

A crowd of hate silenced by a gesture that says, "this is my brother."

Most experts, and more importantly the people who knew Jackie Robinson, agree that he died young due (in their opinion) to the strain of not fighting back.

But Robinson did fight. He fought as Christ taught us to: With love and open arms while letting our actions change the hearts of others.

Other people with good hearts came to his aid against the abuse. Love inspired love.

Did Jackie Robinson fix the world?
Did he end all hatred?

No.

Did some people accept him only because he was good at baseball and made their team win?

Yes.

But by having the courage to not return hate for hate, Jackie Robinson began a fundamental change in people's hearts. Baseball was integrated before the U.S. military. And at times, when there was opposition to equality for every race, people could look to baseball. A place where it worked because one man chose not to return hatred with hatred.

Buck O'Neil once said:

before President Truman desegregated the military, before the bus boycott in Birmingham, before the civil rights marches in the South, before Rosa Parks, before Brown v. Board of Education, and before anyone had ever heard of Martin Luther King Jr., there was Jackie Robinson.

Where did he get this courage? Robinson said:

“I had a lot of faith in God….There’s nothing like faith in God to help a fellow who gets booted around once in a while.”

His wife Rachel said:

"Jack did feel that God was on his side, Jackie believed that he was God's creature, and he saw his opportunities as a way of carrying out God's plan."

I am not the potter, but the potter's clay.

Be it done to me according to your word.

Robinson, I'm looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back.

So is Christ. He is looking for people with the courage to love and not hate. To fight back in a way that sets an example of love.

Happy Mothers Day Mary, and all Mothers.

May the love of Christ and the love of Mary, the Mother of God. Protect and guide all mothers throughout the world.

A most prayerful wish for a blessed day to my mother-in-law and all mothers I know. My friends at work and Bent over at the Nefertetti blog, a prayer for a blessed day for you, your family and your children.

May all mothers in heaven (mine included) smile upon the world's mothers today.

May the Mother of God, acting as always in the love and power of her Son, bless today:

Mothers everywhere.

Guide those who wish to be mothers, to the realization of love.

Guide those who struggle with their children, to the patience of love.

Guide those who are making difficult decisions about pregnancy, to the courage of love.

Guide those with sick children, to the healing of love.

Guide those with children who have died, to the comfort of love.

May the Lord protect all mothers in their difficult times and bless them with uncounted joys.

Finally back to my normal schedule

I work at a college, so during exams my work schedule is very busy. Then my daily hours change during the week or so between the spring and summer semesters. We're finally back to normal, so I should be able to post at my regular pace.

Now, if the Yankess could manage to beat the Red Soxs everything would be back to normal :)

Sites of the Holy Family in Egypt falling into disrepair

Those who read this blog know that I have a very personal devotion to the Holy Family. This article touched me deeply. (link)

The article focuses on what a boom to the Egyptian economy these sites would be if they were fixed. I understand that. And I understand that if they get fixed, this is likely to be the reason. But at the very basic level they are falling into disrepair because the Copts are not allowed to build churches or fix existing ones. Fixing them for the stated reasons will not fix the reasons that have caused this.

It is the lack of religious freedom that is doing this. These sites, places so very precious to all Christian faiths, are being disrespected. There is a dull ache when I think of this.

But these sites, no matter how they are falling away. No matter what condition they are currently in, are precious for reasons that go far beyond the state of a building.

It is not the state, but the fact that they are, that makes them precious.

Pilgrims come, as the Holy Family did, and they do not have luxury. Neither did the Savior.

Pilgrims come, as the Holy Family did, and they do not have basic necessities. Neither did the Savior.

It is not that these sites are in such a condition that brings tears, but that the Coptic people and the Christians who come are not safe.

In Egypt, the shield of our Lord that protected the infant Christ and His family, those who love Him are not safe.

This is reflected in the state of the buildings. It is not the disrepair of these great and holy places that is painful, but the disrepair of love. The article states:

“These locations can be very appealing to people, but the Ministry of Tourism has to launch a heavy publicity campaign to raise more awareness,” says Yasser Taha, head of public relations at Nile Egypt Melody travel agency. Concerned that, beyond the physical discomforts, the lack of development might actually cause danger to clients, he simply says, “We cannot risk losing our guests.”

What you can not do is let the land that was a shelter for Christ, be a grave for His people.

What you can not do is let the land whose history speaks to the world of greatness, be devoid of freedom.

What you can not do is let the land that calls to it's dispersed children like a mother, be a place they fear to go.

This is what you can not do.

Movies and promotion are all well and good. The creation of jobs to improve the state of people's lives is excellent, but it is all a coat of paint on a faulty structure if the Copts are not allowed to worship freely.

This is very bad: Violence at demonstrations in Egypt

Sandmonkey has on-going coverage (link). Today there is a protest for the judges in Egypt. I'll quote Sandmonkey's post so you have an idea of how bad it is getting:


Today's demonstration has about 2000 people so far, MB mixed with Kifaya and union members, and they were demonstrating in support of the judges today.For the first 20 minutes or so, the police just let them demonstrate peacefully. And then, all of a sudden, all hell broke loose.

The Riot Police, alongside thugs and plain-clothed police officers went and attacked the demonstrations with batons on Adly street, and then started arresting them. A group of protesters got trapped in front of the engineer's syndicate on Ramsis street, and the police is beating them up, dragging them on the street and arresting them. The Police also reportedly beat up another group of protesters from the pharmacists syndicate and also attacked some US journalists who were taking pictures and broke their cameras. Another group of MB that was demonstrating at the Al Fatah mosque is currently also getting beat up and in the process of getting arrested. This is bad!

Plainclothes policemen dragged away cameramen from news organisations, including Reuters and Al Jazeera television, and confiscated their cameras.

An Al Jazeera cameraman was badly beaten, an Al Jazeera correspondent said.

Plainclothes police dragged 15 demonstrators from a
crowd of around 300 marching in Cairo in support of the judges and beat
them badly. At least one activist was seen bleeding from the face after
he was held against a wall and beaten.

Other demonstrators dispersed when the security
forces began their crackdown. The demonstrators had included supporters
of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood and secular activists.


Update: The security re-enforcments have arrived. There are about 10,000 of them in downtown cairo, and they still can not contain the situation. The demos are still spreading like wildfire, and the moment they put one out, 2 more prop up in 2 different locations in its place. The Police got so frustrated, they shut down all the doors to the Metro (The Underground) at the Ramses station stop, except one, to stop more people from coming thorugh there and joining the protests.


Keep checking Sandmonkey for updates. I'll do my best with my strange work hours this week to stay on top of it as well.

More updates from Sandmonkey (link)

Teen Killed Just for Being Catholic, Says Priest

The story:


Boy, 15, dies after sectarian gang attack

A Catholic schoolboy who was cornered in an alley in Ballymena and beaten with a baseball bat in a sectarian assault has died, inflaming sectarian tensions in the town and reviving concerns about community relations across Northern Ireland.

Michael McIlveen, 15, was attacked by a gang of youths after buying a takeaway pizza on Saturday night. The youths trapped him in an alley, struck him repeatedly and stamped on his head. He staggered home and was taken to hospital. His family remained at his bedside until his life support machine was switched off at 8pm on Monday.

Michael's uncle, Francis McIlveen, told the BBC's Nolan programme yesterday that the family wanted to ensure such attacks never happened again. "The family's distraught at the minute," he said. "They just can't believe that wee Michael's gone, a wee child, 15 years of age, lying in that bed, dead."

Politicians in Ballymena, County Antrim, asked the community not to retaliate. There have been frequent sectarian clashes in the town.

A 19-year-old man was charged after a separate attack on Sunday. An attempt to ease tensions by removing loyalist and republican flags, and painting over paramilitary murals last month led to accusations from both sides of bad faith.

Ian Paisley, the local MP and Democratic Unionist party leader, said yesterday there should be no revenge attacks. "As we move towards the marching season, I would appeal for calm," he said. "Any reprisal or upping the ante would serve no purpose other than to make matters worse. I would call on all sides to pull back from the brink before tragedy is multiplied by catastrophe."

The Northern Ireland secretary, Peter Hain, said he was appalled by the killing and urged the public to assist the police. "This was a sickening sectarian attack that has taken the life of a teenager with his whole life in front of him," he said. "Everyone will condemn this murder, which drags Northern Ireland back to the dark days of the past."

Five young people were being questioned yesterday in connection with the killing. Ballymena's police commander, Superintendent Terry Shevlin, has urged community leaders to improve relations between Protestant and Catholic communities.

"We're quite clear that the motive for this assault was of a sectarian nature," said Supt Shevlin. "I'm making a clear appeal to civic leaders, community leaders and others with influence in the Ballymena to not only condemn this ... but to exercise whatever influence they can to prevent any retaliatory attacks."

Detectives have studied CCTV footage, and are monitoring websites where youths have posted allegations about the attack.

Sean Farren, Social Democratic and Labour party assembly member for North Antrim, said: "Unfortunately we have witnessed similar attacks in Ballymena and elsewhere in the past and each one has brought pain and tragedy to the families and friends of those affected."

Philip McGuigan, Sinn Féin assembly member for North Antrim, blamed a "loyalist mob" for the killing. (Source).

Going out for Pizza with friends. Now he is dead. My prayers are with the family and all those touched by this, both Protestant and Catholic.

In addition:


On Tuesday, Michael's mother paid tribute to her son as "popular" with Catholic and Protestant friends.

Young people have been holding vigils in the teenager's memory and flowers have been laid at the spot where he was attacked.

For all those who feel this loss, may the Lord comfort you. And may he lead them out of hatred and into love.

Canada states recognition of Armenian Genocide. Thank you Canada, for your courage in saying the truth

All too often in this world the truth is not stated because it is inconvient. When the issue is recognizing the Armenian Genocide that is very true. Turkey reacts very badly when this happens. An example is occuring right now with Canada.

The Armenian Affiars blog has the post on the story (link).

A quote:

Turkey has recalled its ambassador to Canada as the country plots an official response to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's recent acknowledgement of the 1915 Armenian genocide -- one of the most disputed and politically fraught events of the 20th century.

Harper's three-paragraph statement April 19 to mark the "sombre anniversary" -- the first time that Canada has made such a statement -- barely caught the attention of most Canadians, but it ignited a furor in Ankara that appears set to boil over.

An official at the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa told CanWest News Service that Aydemir Erman has not been formally withdrawn from Canada over the prime minister's comments, but he has been "called back" to Turkey to discuss with government officials what steps will be taken to express displeasure with the remarks.

These strongarm tactics show just how far apart Turkey is from the rest of the world. Often I have heard it said that Turkey is the most progressive of the Muslim states. I think even a quick survey of the facts would show that as one of the biggest distortions in this century.

Just on this blog in the past we have seen:

More than just a minor behind Fr Andrea Santoro’s murder (link)

Fr. Santoro and the inaction of Turkish Authorities (link)

A priest is beaten in Izmir, to the cries of “we will kill you all” (link)

Pope: May Fr Santoro “become the seed of hope for building authentic brotherhood”(link)

When the children of the Black Sea are taught to hate priests (link)

The last line of the next part just blew me away.

"The ambassador is now travelling to Turkey because our authorities have asked him to join them for consultations and, indeed, it is related to what's been happening here in the last week or so here in Canada with the prime minister's declaration," said Yoney Tezel, a counsellor with the embassy.

Ottawa's official position that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a "genocide" adds Canada to a group of about 25 other countries, including France, Russia, Poland and Argentina.

"For us, this is a serious matter," Tezel said. "The Armenian claims are a direct attack on our identity, on Turkey's history. We feel it's unfair. That's why when these claims find some recognition we always consider that something negative."

Harper's statement, delivered on the 91st anniversary of the bloodbath, noted that both the Senate and the House of Commons have adopted motions acknowledging that a genocide took place.

"My party and I supported those resolutions and continue to recognize them today," he said.
On April 25, Turkey's Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing Harper of exhibiting a "gravely prejudiced attitude."

A "gravely prejudiced attitude". Words fail. A nation who attempted to wipe out a group of people is calling another gravely prejudiced. These leaders in Turkey are not the ones who performed the genocide, but by this aggressive hatred they are supporting the actions of their ancestors.

The truth will cause problems. The truth always does. Truth and love are often not a part of this world, but they reflect a higher love...not because God does not extend them for us. It is not because humans do not hunger and desire these things. It is because the leaders of nations like Turkey are "gravely prejudiced" against the truth.

Thank you Canada for stating the truth boldly and without fear.