And Now For Something Completely Different: An Act of Real Sportsmanship

Here’s something you don’t see often these days.  An act of real sportsmanship!!!

A few days ago in a college women’s softball game, a player from Western Oregon University team hit a three-run homerun.  As she rounded first base, she injured her knee and was unable to continue around the bases.  The umpire was called and ruled that other Western Oregon players could not help her, or she would be called out and the homerun would be voided.  The players of the opposing team, Central Washington University, stunned the spectators by picking up the Western Oregon (an action approved by the umpire) player and carrying her around the bases, hesitating momentarily at each base so she could touch the bag.

One Central Washington player said “She deserved the homerun.  She hit the ball over the fence.”  The three-run homer counted and Western Oregon won the game.  The Central Washington coach called the act of sportsmanship, “unbelievable.” 

            In a sports milieu where coaches violate recruiting rules and illegally video tape opposing teams, where players engage in trash talk and disrespect opposing players, where teams engage in fist fights with opposing teams and even with fans, where player’s parents fight with coaches and with other players, this act of sportsmanship is a breath of fresh air.  Sportsmanship still lives, at least in a few places.   

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