Faith In The Game

Say It Loud — by Ben Petrick

The following is excerpted from Ben Petrick’s acclaimed new book, Forty Thousand to One, which he co-wrote with Scott Brown. Petrick was a catcher for the Colorado Rockies and one of the top prospects in baseball when he was told he had Parkinson’s disease — a diagnosis he hid for four Major League seasons.

After his retirement, Petrick became a full-time caregiver to his daughter, Makena, while his wife went back to work. His health deteriorated greatly until one year ago, when he underwent a radical surgery in an attempt to lessen his Parkinson’s symptoms.

Forty Thousand to One was recently included in the library of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

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I left the doctor’s office wondering what the appropriate response should be to finding out you’re just 22 and no longer free from time.

A doctor at University Hospital in Denver had told me the odd movement disorders I’d been experiencing for nearly six months were caused by “Parkinsonism.”

“I’d diagnose you with actual Parkinson’s,” he said, “but you’re four decades younger than the typical patient.”

Getting that diagnosis (just seven months after my father received the same news) was more than surreal. It was like watching the moon fall.

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And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. — Hebrews 10:10 

When an athlete comes off the field and says, “God gave us the victory tonight,” we hope he or she is saying, “I thank God who gave me a healthy body so I can play at my best; I thank God for my good mind that allowed me to play alert and with awareness; I thank God for giving me the hunger to always be at my best.” If that is what the athlete is saying, then I want to say, “You are absolutely right. Thank God for all God’s good gifts.”

But if that athlete is saying God literally guided the football through the uprights for the winning field goal so that one team would win and the other lose, that man has a lot to learn about life and about God.

God is not our personal weather expert, football strategist, romance matchmaker, or rectifier of our past mistakes. God is God. God is our Sovereign, not our servant. — Ron Newhouse

Very cool piece about Andy Finch, the snowboarder who currently appears on The Amazing Race. Extremely humble for such a young guy.

Going It Alone

From the New York Times, on American distance runner Ryan Hall, who decided to go without a coach and put his training in the hands of a higher power:

Hall, who will turn 29 next week, said he came to his decision a year ago when he was the great hope for an American winner in Chicago, as he is this year. He had come in fourth in Boston, with a time of 2:08:41. But on Sept. 29, 2010, less than two weeks before the race on Oct. 10, he announced that he was overtrained, too tired to race, and withdrew.

“I was just way overfried and overcooked,” he said in a telephone interview.

He began to consider whether he really wanted to be coached and run with a group — he had been running with the Mammoth Track Club, where he was coached by Terrence Mahon.

“The thing that was disappointing, even though I was training really hard, I wasn’t seeing any improvement,” Hall said.

And he felt he was not close enough to God, he said. As a Christian, he decided he would, in effect, let God be his coach.

“I really wanted that,” Hall said. “To wake up every morning, to get down on my knees and say: ‘God, I need your help. I don’t know what to do.’ ” He reasoned that even if his running got worse, he would gain something because he would be closer to God.

What do you think of Hall’s decision?

To participate in the discussion, please head over to our Facebook page.

The Lost Art of Listening, by Ben Petrick

Ben Petrick is co-editor of Faith In The Game. A former Major Leaguer with the Colorado Rockies and Detroit Tigers, Ben has Parkinson’s disease and recently underwent an aggressive surgery called Deep Brain Stimulation to alleviate his symptoms. A television news story on Ben’s amazing recovery can be found here. Ben chronicles his progress, along with stories of faith, family and baseball, in this blog.

This entry was inspired by a couple of things. One was the talk that I had with a couple of young baseball players to whom I was giving hitting lessons a couple of days ago.  The other was a swimming lesson my daughter had last week.

My daughter just turned 4 years old and has had swimming lessons in the past, but this time it feels a little different.  She is getting to that age where she is really starting to grasp instructions and as long as she is giving her undivided attention. At this particular swimming lesson there was another little kid that was bobbing his head underwater throughout the lesson, even while the teacher was talking.  The teacher asked repeatedly for him to stop and listen, but the kid was just playing and having fun. But when his play led my daughter to stop paying attention, I had flashbacks of my dad saying that when an adult is talking, look them straight in the eye so they know you are listening. 

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Vanity Insanity — by Ben Petrick

I recently traveled back to Nashville for a Parkinson’s fundraising event, put on by Brent Pederson, a former NHL hockey player and coach that has Parkinson’s disease.  He now holds a position in the Nashville Predators front office.  The team, along with their foundation, helped Brent put this annual event on.  There were 940 people there supporting both foundations and they raised over $300,000 at the event.  I was honored to give a short speech about my story and former NBA player Brian Grant shared some words as well. 

I’m more than happy to participate in these types of events. While I wasn’t born to be a public speaker — and my Parkinson’s–induced mumble doesn’t help the matter — I am improving.  Events like this one give me hope that through increased fundraising, science and technology will continue to improve and research will one day find a way to eradicate Parkinson’s disease all together. 

When I retired from baseball seven years ago, it seemed like a nice idea that I would become a spokesperson for Parkinson’s research.  The reality, though, is that as my symptoms grew worse, all I wanted to do was retreat. We tend to romanticize struggle in our country. Scrappiness and grit a part of the American fabric. But the fact is that struggle is a process, and deciding to turn into the wind rather than away from it takes time.

In my case, my history as a standout athlete created an enormous conflict in me. On one hand, it gave me a platform above and beyond most Parkinson’s patients. On the other, vanity is part and parcel of being an athlete — at least it was for me.

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The Astronaut — by Ben Petrick

Ben Petrick is co-editor of Faith In The Game. A former Major Leaguer with the Colorado Rockies and Detroit Tigers, Ben has Parkinson’s disease and recently underwent an aggressive surgery called Deep Brain Stimulation to alleviate his symptoms. A television news story on Ben’s amazing recovery can be found here. Ben chronicles his progress, along with stories of faith, family and baseball, in this blog.

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I’ve found myself at an interesting crossroads lately. Is it possible to feel guilty for experiencing improved health? I spent so much time praying for a something to alleviate my Parkinson’s symptoms. Now that that’s happened, I’m overwhelmingly grateful, but also conflicted because I’m leaving someone behind.

I’ve always had a partner on this walk: my father.

I recently returned from a two-week vacation, which left me with two main thoughts: First, I am so thankful for the Deep Brain Stimulation surgery I had last winter that has improved my symptoms greatly. Second, I want so desperately for DBS to be an option for my dad, who also has the disease. Because of his being older and having other health complications, DBS might not be viable for him.

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LIFE.

DO IT.

“One of the most impactful lessons I learned over the course of my career was the difference between a goal and a plan.” — Tom Landry

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and will bring you back from captivity.’” — Jeremiah 29: 11-14

The Jackson 7: A Week’s Worth of Word

We’re excited to welcome respected broadcaster and new Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson as a contributor to Faith in the Game. An ordained minister, Jackson and his wife, Desiree, founded True Love Worship Center in Southern California.

Every Sunday, Jackson will provide some “assigned reading” for the week, along with his thoughts. You can follow him on Twitter at @JacksonMark13.

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DAY 1 

Proverbs 11:25: “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

The generous soul will be made Rich! You want more? Start giving more!

DAY 2 

Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

STOP carrying luggage that you shouldn’t!

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“THESE DAYS WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF EXPERIENCING A SADNESS OUR PARENTS NEVER HAD TIME FOR.” — “Beginners”

You can’t say, “I can’t.” You can say, “I’m having trouble, but I’m not done yet.” — “The Tree of Life”

“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, for Him.” — Psalm 27:14

“All of us know when we were born, but only a few of us know why.” — David Feherty, speaking of Tom Watson, who he says helped pull him from his alcoholic despair

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1

Carissa Moore, youngest women’s pro surfing world champion ever, from Hawaii, of course. Rock on, little lady!

“Grace doesn’t try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries.” — “The Tree of Life”

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9