There have been SO many things written over the course of the last 2 weeks regarding the impact that one of Minnesota’s greatest has had on the game of baseball, and the lives and memories of so many Minnesota fans. I had the amazing opportunity to have dinner with Harmon and some members of the Twins organization about 1.5 years ago. It was and always will be the ABSOLUTE highlight of me being a sports fan, and more specifically a baseball fan. I can only confirm what so many have written and said about Harmon…he is not only an amazing athlete, but amazing person as well.

The tributes, stories, and memories shared by many of an amazing Twin brought on an intense feeling of nostalgia on the role that baseball has played in my life…..and life lessons that can be learned from this game that has and will continue to transcend generations. I dedicate this to my Grandma Chris, who was one of the biggest baseball fans I know and played a key role in the intensity of my baseball obsession to this date 🙂 I apologize in advance-this will be my cheesiest blog yet 🙂

Enjoy the pace of the game and the duration of the season

It is amazing in a sport where 162 games are played in a given year, how often playoff destinies are determined by ONE game. Every game, every player, every at bat counts. I find great joy when a batter is “pitched” around only to have the next batter change the outcome of the game.

Baseball moves at a pace that allows for absolute enjoyment. Every play can be taken in. Camera angles don’t matter. Distractions rarely get in the way. Patience at the plate is everything. So-the life lessons here…slow down, exercise patience, don’t take anything or anyone for granted, sit back and just enjoy, minimize the distractions, and good things don’t just happen overnight and without some hard work and persistence.

Youth softball advice from my mom rings in my ears…”wait for your pitch” and “don’t get ahead of yourself-you need to catch the ball first before you can throw and make the out”. GREAT softball and life advice right there 🙂

Take your mistakes and make “adjustments”

Even the best of baseball players get into slumps and have issues with their “mechanics”. Step back, reflect, ask for feedback, work hard, continuously improve, and take time to celebrate when all the hard work pays off 🙂

Happiness lies in the simpliest of pleasures

Every time I am at a baseball or softball game, watching a game on TV with friends, or enjoying the game on the radio, I can’t help but further my appreciation for good friends/family, cold beer, relaxation, and beautiful MN weather. I don’t know if it is just me, but hot dogs and beer taste better when enjoyed outside, taking in a baseball game in beautiful weather with good friends or family.

Baseball memories run deep for me. Summers spent with my Grandma Chris at the baseball park built in honor of my Grandpa Cadwell in Mitchell, SD. Shagging balls with my best friend as the neighborhood boys played home run derby EVERY day once school was out. Family vacations that involved either a road trip to Minneapolis or Kansas City to take in a baseball game. Waiting for my dad to get back from Game 5 of the 1987 World Series with my authentic homer hanky. Meeting Harmon Killebrew. I can honestly say, there is no other passion I have that holds such nostalgia for me as baseball. It connects me to my grandpa I never met, my grandma who is no longer with us, my childhood friends that I do not get to see as often as I would like, my college friends who mean the world to me, road trips that I will make someday, and a lifetime of memories.

Even God loves baseball

I will not take credit for this one. I probably was not the only one that Harmon told this joke to, but I probably laughed the loudest. “You want proof that God loves baseball? The first words of the bible are…in the Big Inning (beginning)”. Really, not much more proof is needed than that. God is a baseball fan 🙂