You want a mandate that will actually do some good? When I’m king, here’s one that I’m rolling out:
From the ages of 12 to 15, each and every American child should have to play baseball or softball. Mandatory baseball/softball service.
Here’s why:
- You must learn how to handle failure. Baseball and softball are games of failure. The best players to ever play the game failed at 2/3 of their opportunities.
- You learn how to forget what just happened and focus on the present. You just made an error? Get ready because here comes the next ground ball. You struck out last time? That has no bearing on your next at-bat.
- You cannot win individually. Even Mike Trout, the best individual player since Babe Ruth, never has and won’t ever win the championship unless and until he changes teams or the Angels get better collectively.
- It’s a team sport, yes, but each play requires individual success or failure, and everyone will know how you performed. That ground ball is coming right at you. Only you can hit the next pitch. Will your fastball be a strike? All eyes are on you. You either did it or you didn’t.
