Kirk Gibson’s iconic 1988 World Series home run. Donald DeMarco writes is an example of one of the great joys of life.
In sports, you either win or lose, but you cannot win unless you play the game. This axiom applies to life as well as to philosophy. One cannot succeed in life unless he puts aside the fear of failure and gets involved. Likewise, one cannot succeed in philosophy unless he sheds the fear of being wrong and commits himself to the pursuit of truth.
Philosopher/theologian Paul Tillich employs the word “neurosis” to anyone who is so fearful of losing that he loses all hope of winning. Speaking in a general way, he states that a neurosis is “a way of avoiding non-being by avoiding being.” A person’s fear of failing a job interview may cause him to avoid it. Fear of rejection can lead to avoiding a marriage proposal, a moral responsibility, or any number of challenges that life presents. The fear of failure can eliminate the possibility of success.
Sports can serve as an inspiration for everyone. It is a world in which the underdog is not necessarily a loser. The United States hockey team understood this when it defeated the highly- rated Russian contingent at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, the so-called “Miracle on Ice.” The spectacle of a group of amateurs defeating professionals offers hope for anyone who has the courage to go against the odds. “Amateur,” as the word indicates, refers to anyone who loves what he is doing. This attitude can put an amateur in a more favorable position than the professional whose chief concern may be monetary.
In the 1988 World Series, Kirk Gibson came to bat as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the ninth inning with the tying run on base and two men out. He was too banged up to start the game, suffering from two bad legs and a damaged left hand. Manager Tommy Lasorda was rolling the dice. On the mound was Dennis Eckersley, one of baseball’s premier relief pitchers. The Oakland hurler would win both the American League’s MVP and Cy Young awards in 1992. Over his 24-year career the Hall of Fame pitcher won 197 starts and earned 390 saves. It was one of the great mismatches of all time, and put Mr. Gibson clearly behind the eight-ball. The count went to 3 and 2. On the final pitch of the game, Gibson, who could barely walk, hit an Eckersley slider into the right field seats, earning a most dramatic 6-5 win for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Broadcaster Vin Scully capped the event by saying that, “In a year that has been improbable, the impossible has happened.” It was not “impossible,” for it did happen. It only seemed that way. And that is one of the great joys of life.
Vince Lombardi, the Hall of Fame coach of the Green Bay Packers, whom ESPN has acclaimed “Coach of the Century,” would rally his troops by quoting St. Paul who enjoined his disciples to “fight the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7). “If we chase perfection,” he would say, “we can catch excellence.” His son, Vince Jr. learned a great deal about character from his dad. In his book, What It Takes to Be #1, he provides an apt summary of his father’s moral philosophy: “We live in a time when authority is questioned, gratification is instant, morals are relative, ethics are situational, and the truth is apparently whatever we decide it is. We lead lives of comfort and ease and, as a result, we’ve lost our hunger to lead and achieve. Today, fewer people are willing to make the sacrifices that are necessary to become a leader.”
The “old college try” motto means that there is never a moment when a competitor should give up. He should never abandon effort even when losing appears to be imminent. He should always remain victorious in his spirit.
As a teacher of philosophy, I have encountered many examples, both in the classroom and in books, of people giving up on philosophy because they have come to think that truth is unattainable. The legacy of Pontius Pilate – “What is Truth” – continues unabated. Admittedly, the possession of truth, like any other victory, often requires overcoming certain obstacles. Cicero said long ago that there is no nonsense in the world which has not found some philosopher to maintain it. Surely, there are difficulties one encounters along the road to truth. Nevertheless, as philosopher Jacques Maritain avers, “it is the error of cowards to mistake a difficulty for an impossibility.”
It is perfectly reasonable, then, to remind pro-lifers that they should never allow themselves to be discouraged, even when the odds seem to be stacked against them. Losing, in certain instances, may be inevitable, but not trying is unforgiveable. It is in the nature of the human being not to quit. We must never lose touch with that natural impulse.
Donald DeMarco, professor emeritus at St. Jerome’s University and adjunct professor at Holy Apostles College & Seminary, is a regular columnist for the St. Austin Review. His latest books, How to Navigate through Life and Apostles of the Culture of Life.
