James Finney, my friend

What are the above photos all about, and who is James Finney? What does this man have to do with baseball? Well, let me explain. When I was traded from the San Francisco Giants to the New York Yankees in July of 1968, James Finney became a very important person in my life, and perhaps more than any person, made my life enjoyable playing for the Yankees. The first photo was taken in 1970 next to the Hackensack river in Hackensack, New Jersey. This photo shows Mary Louise, wife of James, their youngest son Paul and James. They are about to be taken in a flight over the New York City area by a friend of mine, John Trimble , who was at that time a flight engineer for Eastern Airlines. They will be flying in a single engine sea plane and took off on the same river used by Charles Lindbergh in May of 1927 when he flew across the Atlantic ocean to France. As a side note, when I was four years old, my dad started calling me “Lindy” after that famous flyer. His plane was called “the Spirit of St. Louis” and ironically, St. Louis is where I spent seven years of my baseball career. Getting back to my story, that same day I was taken up by John Trimble and saw many great views of New York City, which are shown in the above photos, including one of Yankee Stadium. Yankee Stadium being the last two photos, the last showing the inside of the stadium.

Word came to me on Friday, July 8, 2011, that James Finney had died. He had just celebrated his 95th birthday a few days before on the 4th of July. He was a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ for 77 years, both in Africa and in America. When I came to the Yankees, he was preaching in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and lived in the preacher’s house right next to the church building.

Over the years, the home of James and Mary Louise Finney was open to one and all. In addition to their own four boys, they kept about 18 different college age boys during the summer months, who worked for Nabisco in order to help pay their way through college. Some church members would drive from Long Island and spend Saturday night with the Finney’s so that they could attend services the next morning. James would take me on personal tours of New York city in his Volkswagen Bug, and introduced me to gobs of the local people in the city of Fair Lawn. He kept that Volkswagen spotless and put about 215 thousand miles on it. He taught me the value of a car. He later bought a Pontiac Station-Wagon and put almost 400 thousand miles on it. With four boys I think he needed that extra room. Mary Louise worked part time in the fabric and decorating department at Bamberger, a large department store. They could make money stretch a long way.

When I joined the New York Yankees, they had three boys still at home, and I would leave them tickets for the Yankee games, as well as other boys which stayed in the Finney’s home. That is, when they were able to attend. James spoke perfect English in the pulpit and all of his lessons were very well prepared. It was always a highlight for me to attend services there and I met so many friendly people who put God first in their lives. He introduced me to the James MacKnight Commentaries and I still have these in my library. I also purchased a copy of the “Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible” at his suggestion. As stated at his funeral, he was a walking library of knowledge.

I lived with Mary Louise and James in the spring before my family was able to join me. James set up a large desk in the office area at the church building so I could work on Pitching For The Master and other projects. This man was beloved in the congregation, and I would often go with him to visit members as well as do some evangelism. Mary Louise would cook a meal for me at 3:00 in the afternoon so that I could arrive at Yankee Stadium by 4:30. I gave Mary Louise rent money and I think that she spent it all on food, for which the whole family was grateful. She was a very good cook, but she went out of her way for me. Listen, she would also have to prepare meals for the others at regular times, so she did double duty just to please me. After many a game, I would meet James at the Forum, a restaurant in New Jersey, where several major highways come together, and have a bit to eat and we would discuss the game or whatever else was on our minds. As I said, he made my stay in New York very pleasant.

After learning of James death, I made arrangements to fly from Love Field in Dallas to Denver, and at the airport met a dear friend, Alan Geer, who had made arrangements to fly from Tampa, Florida and arrived at the airport the same time, and together we rented a car and drove to Colorado Springs, where James had done local preaching and had lived for many years. Alan was one of the many boys who had stayed in the Finney’s home and worked at Nabisco when they lived in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. James died a peaceful death resting in his favorite chair in his office. We went to the funeral services and spent three days with the family. Mary Louise had previously died from an auto accident on January 18, 1993.

Three of the boys (Tim, Paul, and Mark) spoke at the service. Also a letter was read from Joe, the oldest son who could not attend. The church building was full of people and it was a very moving and emotional experience, with different speakers and congregational singing. The main address was delivered by Melvin Curry, an old friend of James who had accompanied James on many trips to Africa and other missionary work. Melvin for years was head of the Bible Department at Florida College. Melvin compared James to the great patriarchs of the Bible, and made a very strong case. After the service there was a luncheon at the local civic center equipped with a live mike where people took turns speaking about how James had touched their lives. Although there is sadness in the death of a loved one, this day also took on the spirit of the celebration of a great life. James was the type of person who always lifted up everyone around him. But he could be tough too – just ask the children. We spent the afternoon exchanging story after story.
How can you capture or recount 95 years of living in just one afternoon? As Alan and I headed back to the air port two days later, we knew that our decision to come was well founded.

Thus, it is fitting that I dedicate this issue of Pitching For The Master to James Finney, an extraordinary preacher, father, husband, grandfather, friend, etc. who had left behind a great legacy for future generations. It is not possible to put into one short article the value of his life, and so I will not attempt to do so.

And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” Rev. 14:13

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Articles are published monthly in the blog “Pitching For The Master”. In order to go to this blog simply go to lindymcdaniel.com and from there hit the button that leads you to the blog. You can contact me my going to my E-mail address at lindymcdaniel41@yahoo.com or write to me at 1095 Meadow Hill Drive, Lavon, Texas 75166. Thanks. Lindy McDaniel

Jim Brewer, My Friend

Jim Brewer pitched in the Major Leagues for 17 years. He was my friend. In the off season, he lived for many years in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma . I think that he was either full or half Indian, but I do not remember which tribe. I came to know him in 1963 when I was traded from the Cardinals to the Cubs. He was traded one year later to the Dodgers. Seems like the Cubs have a history of letting the best ones get away.

Here is some information about Jim before I had joined him with the Cubs. “While pitching in only his fifth game, on August 4, 1960, the Chicago Cubs rookie was attacked on the mound by the hot-headed Cincinnati Reds second baseman Billy Martin for throwing too far inside. A Billy Martin roundhouse broke Brewer’s cheekbone, and the Cubs sued Martin for $1 million in damages” (The Biographical Encyclopedia of Baseball, page 125). As Jim later related to me, when Martin charged the mound, Jim had his defenses up. But as Martin got close , he dropped his arms, which caused Jim to relax, and suddenly Martin popped him in the jaw. Martin was a street fighter and knew all the tricks. This is not the last time Martin’s hot-headedness got him into trouble. Many thought that would be the end of Jim’s career. Those early years were difficult for him. He was a left-handed relief pitcher with good stuff on his fast ball, but was somewhat erratic with his control. He was not enjoying much success in the beginning years of his career.

I remember the time Jim was brought into a game against the Mets in the Polo Grounds with the bases loaded and two outs. It was the bottom of the 9th and the met fans were screaming their lungs out. You would have had to be there to understand. The Cubs had a 2 or 3 run lead. The manager, Bob Kennedy, had brought in Jim to face the left-handed pinch hitter, Ed Kranepool. Jim quickly got two strikes on the batter. Then suddenly, on the next pitch, Kranepool pulled the ball into the right-field stands for a grand slam homerun to win the game. The Polo Grounds became a mad house! Jim was fit to be tied. He slowly had to walk over 450 feet to the wall in center field and up the many steps to the visitor’s clubhouse amid the jeering fans.

I have never witnessed a more dejected player! At first I thought he was going to tear up the clubhouse. It took him a good twenty minutes to settle down and to finally take a shower. To make matters worse, we had to take a long bus ride to Philadelphia. The Cubs were a pretty subdued bunch of players. I sat with Jim in the very back of the bus and we talked all the way to Philly. I had been in his shoes a few times myself, and could well understand his anger and frustration. This is a part of baseball that a lot of people do not know about, but it is a very common experience. Fortunately, for Jim, it didn’t happen in the World Series or in some high profile game. But that seemed little consolation at the time.

It was not long after that Jim was traded to the Dodgers. I later heard that the great Warren Spahn , another American Indian from Oklahoma, taught Jim how to throw a “screwball” which is a change up pitch that breaks away from a right-handed hitter. Jim went on to became one of the great relief pitchers of the game, pitching for the Dodgers and saving over 20 games for many seasons in a row. His total record in relief pitching was 62 wins, 49 losses, 132 saves and an overall E.R.A. of 3.07. He had 810 strikeouts against 360 walks in 1039 innings. Folks, those are very good stats. If Jim and I could combine our records, we would be in the Hall of Fame for sure! I hope that I had just a little something to do with this by encouraging him at the lowest point of his career. Life is really strange in so many ways. Jim was a good man and a fellow Christian. I wish I could have spent more time with him. As I think of him now, I remember that he was always cheerful and smiling. Many years later, sometime after the fact, I heard that he had been killed in an auto accident before reaching age 50. I wonder what ever happened to his family and kids. When you are young and busy living and competing, you miss the significance of many things, but as you grow older you see life with a different perspective.

I’m not really big on baseball reunions. But it would be really nice to have a few days with a selective group of baseball players, both living and dead, to talk about life and old times. Jim would be on the top of that selective list. My brother Von, who died in 1995, was especially interested in researching the Indians, especially those in Oklahoma, and it would have been a real treat just to listen and hear Jim and Von talk about this part of Oklahoma history. Allie Reynolds, Warren Spahn and Cal McLish are all Indians and in the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. In my humble opinion, Jim Brewer belongs in that distinguished group.

Paul wrote: “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). It is critically important that we connect with people. Not only to pat them on the back for a job well done but also to identify with their suffering and pain. Unfortunately, many of my old teammates have passed on from this life, but I still have the memories of those very active but volatile days when we were just all trying to compete against the best players in the world. – Lindy McDaniel

Sorry that I could not download a photo of Jim Brewer. The photo you see if of me in Cub uniform.

Article in Pitching For The Master--- July, 2011
1095 Meadow Hill Drive
Lavon, Texas 75166

Contact Lindy by E-mail: lindymcdaniel41@yahoo.com

My son Joey is setting up a special website containing the brief story and photos of my career. It will take another month or so for Joey to have this completed. You can access all of the articles in Pitching For The Master as well as information on the special website by going to my regular website at: lindymcdaniel.com.

Ernie Banks -- Mr. Cub

They called Stan Musial “THE MAN ” in St. Louis, but in Chicago the man was Ernie Banks. He was called “Mr. Cub” because of his impact on the city as the short stop for the Chicago Cubs. I became acquainted with him early in my career. My first game for the Cardinals as a starting pitcher was against the Chicago Cubs in September, 1955. I held the Cubs scoreless through the first 4 innings, but in the top of the 5th they had loaded the bases with Ernie Banks stepping up to the plate. No one had bothered to tell me not to throw him a fast ball over the plate for a strike. So in my naiveté I threw him a fastball on the inside part of the plate which he immediately drilled for a home run into the left field bleachers. It was his 5th grand-slam of the year, which is still a record to this very day. So I got into the record books very early!

In 1956, I recall when the manager of the Cardinals, Fred Hutchinson, held a clubhouse meeting with the Cubs in town. Ernie Banks was red hot. Hutch, in his rough grizzly voice, said to the pitchers, “Whatever you do, don’t give Banks a chance to beat you, even if you have to walk him!” The final score of the game was 6 to 2 in favor of the Cubs. Banks had driven in all six runs! Every time he came to bat, there was a runner at first base, so the pitchers were forced to pitch to him. This is just one of a ton of stories about the great Ernie Banks. In Chicago, He was known as Mr. Optimism. He would often speak of the “friendly confines of Wrigley Field” or say with enthusiasm, “this is a great day for a double-header!” He was a much sought after speaker in Chi town and became involved in many community causes. He was a public relations dream.

Outside of that rookie mistake, I got Banks out fairly well. I especially remember one game in which I threw him 15 straight fastballs and got him to pop up three times. But the fastballs were thrown almost a foot inside off the plate. In 1960, my greatest year, my mom and dad were only able to see me pitch to one batter. That batter was Ernie Banks. I strike him out with the bases loaded on three pitches – a fastball, a curve ball, and a fork ball – all swinging misses. Those are things that you never forget. But I have a purpose in writing this article other than baseball. I am writing this not only about baseball, but especially about race relations.

In 1963, the year I joined the Chicago Cubs, Ernie and I were talking in the outfield during batting practice. He said to me, “Lindy, why don’t we room together?” He was referring to the road trips, as each person was responsible for his own housing arrangements in Chicago. I replied, “That would be fine with me.” Ernie said that he would arrange it with the front office. Well, the front office did not approve, and so we were never roommates. I was never told the reason, but I suppose at that time they did not allow blacks and whites to room together. I will always remember the good feelings and respect that Ernie and I had for each other, even as I had for other blacks like Billy Williams, Bill White, Curt Flood and Lou Brock.

My background in the Bible teaches me that God makes no distinction between black and white races. On the occasion of the first Gentiles converts, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” (Acts 10:34-35). In Christ’s church, all stand equal before God without economic, gender or race distinctions. The apostle Paul put it this way: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26-28). The little book of Philemon, penned by Paul, contains a great thesis on race. It is in the Bible that that we read “He (God—LM) made from one man (some translations render the word blood—LM) every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;” (Acts 17:26-27)

Some people actually use the Bible to try to justify racism, even though the above passages, as well as many others, teach otherwise. Some teach that because Ham, the son of Noah, was cursed (see Gen. 9:25), and since the descendants of Ham migrated to Africa, etc., therefore some have concluded that the black race is cursed to be slaves, etc. The curse actually fell upon Ham’s son Canaan (Gen. 9:26), and his descendants were the ones who migrated to the land that carried their name – Canaan. The generic term for the people of that land was Canaanites (See Gen. 24:3; 50:11). When the iniquity of the people in that land was full (see Gen. 15:16-21), God allowed the Israelites, descendants of Shem (see Gen. 9:26) to conquer the land thus fulfilling the curse. But there is not space here to get into all of the aspects of this matter. But to say that God has placed a curse upon an entire race of people today is totally without foundation. I may devote an entire article to racism in the future.

For many years professional baseball did not allow blacks to compete with white players. We all know that it was Jackie Robinson who broke the color barrier. For many years it was hard for blacks in baseball to find decent housing in spring training and in major league cities. Most every large city had its black ghettos. Many of us at the time were unaware of many of the problems faced by black players and black people in general. The real answer lies in changing attitudes, equal treatment under law and equal opportunity. Communism or socialism, which has sought to capitalize on this issue, is not the answer. There certainly need to be equal protection under law for all men, but the real answer likes in changing the hearts of men and women. We must realize that all men are created in the image of God, and for that reason we must respect and highly regard the life and well-being of any person. Perhaps I will address this more in future articles.

God has blinders when it comes to race. The same moral and spiritual standards are expected from everyone regardless of race or background. Read Ezekiel Chapter Eighteen. After all, “God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.”

---Lindy McDaniel

At beginning of article is a photo of Billy Williams, Ernie Banks and myself. You can contact me by E-mail: lindymcdaniel41@yahoo.com

BAGS

(The above is a photo of myself taken in the spring of 2010. Yes, thank you, I could lose a little weight! I am holding on to an old traveling trunk, the same one I used when traveling by train in 1956 when I played for the St. Louis Cardinals. I am not sure why I am holding a bat, but pitchers always dream about being good hitters just as hitters dream about being good pitchers. This article was written in the spring of 2010, but is just now posted in Pitching For The Master.)

I dreamed about baseball last night, or was it early this morning? Maybe it is because this is springtime. Most of my dreams are about baseball and more like nightmares. I dreamed that I am still playing baseball, but continually find myself in a strange city, having trouble finding the ball park, and when I do find it, no one knows who I am or is able to direct me to the clubhouse. It was awful. I am sure that some psychiatrist can tell me what this means. That’s not much better than my dream about college days. In that dream I plum forgot about a class that I was supposed to be attending and it was the end of the semester! A lot of people have this particular nightmare. Well, my last dream was about bags. This dream started out pretty good. The players were getting off the bus at the hotel and finding their bags in the lobby where they were all neatly stacked. Then it dawned on me that I had forgot to pack my bags at the last hotel and I was instantly filled with panic. When we grow older, we panic so easy! Then I woke up! To make is worse, this is something that never happened to me in real life. Then I thought, today I will write an article about bags.

Those of you who travel know the importance of bags. In bags we put the most important items that we think that we cannot do without. It is surprising how quickly life can be reduced down to just a few essential things. An airline commercial advertisement makes a point by saying “Bags fly free!” Bags are given identity and deserve emotional attachment! Pretty clever. But my mind wanders to many days in the past.

When I first starting playing baseball, all the baseball clubs traveled by train, and some trips lasted two or three weeks. We were permitted to take large trunks, and yes, trunks traveled free. Later, when we traveled by plane, the bags were smaller, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Some of the veteran players (like Stan Musial) had wheels attached to their large trunks. Yes, that was way back when. By the way, it was hard for a train to lose a trunk and the food was excellent. On the train you had time to visit and enjoy life. It was a real experience. Some of the scenery was great. I think that even the young people today would enjoy going around “horseshoe bend” just before arriving at Pittsburgh. If you haven’t been to grand central station in New York City, you haven’t really lived. Enough of that already! Anyway, after arriving at the train station, I had to find my own trunk (which was located in the baggage car), carry it down the side of the train through the terminal and on to the street. From the street, I will hail a cab, load the trunk in the back of the cab, and ride to the Hotel. Then I would pay the cab driver, carry the heavy trunk up a long flight of steps into the lobby of the Hilton hotel. After securing the key to my room from our traveling secretary, I would be immediately besieged by bell hops who for a fee would gladly take the trunk to my room. Since the elevator was only a few feet away, this all seemed a bit unnecessary. I have been lugging this thing around all day! But not wanting to be rude or question the conventional wisdom, I allowed the young man to take the bag and rewarded him with a tip. I’m not sure just where this article is going, but I am sure that I just passed the “old as dirt” test.

Bags remind me of family--- traveling on vacation, visiting the folks on holidays, special trips, etc. In the summertime, many years ago, my wife and kids would pack up the car and join me for three months in a major league city (St. Louis, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Kansas City). That car was packed to its fullest capacity. Thus, bags not only remind me of travel, but seeing friends and loved ones. Bags remind me of a lot of good times but also saying a lot of “good-bys.”

Bags remind me of history. They remind me of the first immigrants who came to America. Yes, those people came with trunks, bags and a lot of dreams for the future. Don’t you know they brought nothing but their most prized possessions. Yes, those ships contained a lot of valuable cargo. It would be neat to find one of those old trunks, recently discovered and unopened. I wonder what it would be worth at the antique show?

What about the pioneers of the old west? I love the history of the covered wagons journeying across the west containing both people and their most prized possessions. Don’t you know they sorted through a lot of things and took only the things they needed and could not do without? Yes, our history is told in bags. If only bags could talk.

Bags remind me of the transitory nature of life. There is a country song titled, “I’ve been everywhere man” and another song with the words, “We didn’t find it there so we moved on.” We need to understand that we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. One spiritual song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.”

Bags remind me of a lot of “hellos” and “good-bys”. We travel, visit people, and then we leave. I have done this hundreds of times. It is just the nature of life on earth. I suppose, if life is good, I will travel with bags a lot more in the future. Beginning the 20th of this month, Nancy and I plan to be on the road again making new friends and seeing new places from Texas to Florida and all states in between.

I do look forward to that glorious day when I will never again need to pack another bag . nor ever say “good bye” again. Someone has described life and all of human history as just one long journey for mankind. Those godly men who lived before Jesus Christ was born in the flesh were looking for a city whose builder and maker is God: “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb. 11:13-16). Peter referred to Christians as “aliens and strangers” as they make their journey on the earth (see I Peter 2:11). Thankfully for the Christian our hope extends beyond this physical life as the writer of Hebrews makes clear: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven” (Heb. 12:22-25). The significance of these words ought never to be minimized. It is speaking of home, the real home of the soul, where men and women will find peace and rest from all of their labors. It is a kingdom that cannot be shaken of which every person who comes to trust in Jesus Christ is a partaker: “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28-29).

Well, folks, I always have to return to the main subject of these articles – the Lord Jesus Christ! And if you are going on a journey this summer, don’t forget to pack your bags.

P.S. Obviously I started writing this article last spring, when the old baseball heart goes to back to spring training and my many years in the game. The photo at the beginning of this article is one taken of myself on August 14, 2010 lifting the old trunk purchased in St. Louis in 1956. Nancy, my wife, only had to do eight retakes! Yes, I know I am not in pitching shape, so quit laughing.

Lindy McDaniel, May, 2011
E-Mail: lindymcdaniel41@yahoo.com

COMPETITION

Competition is the stuff of life. Last month was “March Madness” where college basketball teams compete for being recognized as the best in the NCAA. As of this writing, only four clubs remain in competition. Sports of all kinds and at all levels thrive on competition. But beyond this, there is a sense in which competition involves all of life. In sickness and disease, people are battling or fighting whatever is attacking their body. There is the constant battle between good and evil, between the forces of righteousness and the forces of Satan or wickedness. No matter what you are talking about, it can and is expressed in some kind of competition.

Some say, “Forget it. I don’t want to compete!” Well, that is like saying, “I didn’t ask to be born.” No, you didn’t, but name me someone who did! We exist and are competing whether we want to or not. As soon as we start breathing, we are competing against something.

One of the best illustrations of competition comes from the world of Sports. The apostle Paul expressed this well when he wrote: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Although Paul is using illustrations from the Greek/Roman games, he is actually speaking of a much greater competition – a spiritual competition.

Satan Is Winning The Battle

Whether we recognize this or not we are in a battle against Satan. And may I point out that Satan is winning this battle. John wrote: “19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19). All of us at one time or another have been brought under the power and control of Satan. As Paul expresses it: “6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Rom. 5:6-10). Notice that the words “ungodly”, “sinner” and “enemy” are used to describe those Jesus died for. Other passages confirm these same truths such as Paul’s writings in Eph. 2:1-3 and Titus 3:3-7. These passages teach that before we came to know Christ through the gospel, we were enslaved by various lusts, self-centered and acted in terms of our own self interest rather than in regard to God and others. This is the biblical view of Christians before being freed from the great tyrant Satan. These facts are confirmed by both experience and the statements of the Bible. Yes, I know, these simple truths are rejected by many as we want to see ourselves in a far better light.

True Freedom Is Found Only In Christ

The good news is that Christ is the great liberator. Christ has overcome Satan in the following ways: (1) He was born of a virgin becoming God in the flesh [Matt. 1:21-23; Gal. 4:4]; (2) He lived in the flesh without sin [John 8:46; Heb. 4:15]; (3) He was rejected by men by being unjustly put to death on the cruel cross [John 1:11; Acts 2:23; Phil. 2:8]; (4) He became the perfect sacrifice as an atonement for the sins of the world [1 John 2:2]; (5) He was raised from the dead thus overcoming the power of death [Acts 2:32-33; 3:15]; (6) He allowed many to be eye-witnesses of His resurrection [Acts 1:3; 10:40-42]; (7) He ascended into heaven itself to the right hand of the Father [Eph. 1:19-21]; (8) He made the full atonement for sin [Heb. 9:11-13; 10:14]; and He lives forever more. These are a few of the basic facts about Jesus Christ. These facts are all incorporated into what is called the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our part is to accept the great mercy of God by faith. By believing or trusting in Jesus Christ [John 1:12; 3:16; Rom. 1:16-17], we are acknowledging our sins [Luke 13:1; 24:47; Acts 2:38] and accepting Him as our Savior [Acts 2:21; 4:12]; Lord [Matt. 7:21; Luke 6:46]; and Messiah , denying self, taking up our cross and become obedient to him in all things [see Luke 14:27, 33]. See number of times “Lord Jesus Christ” is used [Acts 2:36; 10:36; 11:17, etc. for a total of over 90 times]. I mention this only because some believe that they can be saved apart from obeying Jesus as Lord. Upon being baptized into His name, we are promised the forgiveness of sins and have dedicated ourselves to live in harmony with His will [Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-5]. In these two paragraphs I have put a lot of things into a few words, so please check the references for proof and a better understanding.

Satan’s Weapons vs God’s Weapons

Satan uses whatever methods he can to keep the people of the world in bondage. He is an effective adversary. The apostle John expresses this quite clearly in this way: “ 15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17).
Many famous athletes, who are experiencing the fame and honor of the world, laugh at the idea of self-denial and following the way of Christ. However, the harsh experiences of life teach that the freedom promised by Satan can only result in bondage and cannot produce genuine happiness, as many have already discovered.

But the weapons of Jesus Christ are far from useless. He uses truth, extends mercy, and is especially mindful of the weak and faint-hearted, those souls who have been beaten down by the Devil. See how Isaiah describes the mission of Jesus Christ—Luke 4:17-21. Also Peter describes why people are attracted to Jesus Christ in 1 Peter 3:21-25. Jesus uses different weapons, but do not think that these weapons are without power. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:1-5: “Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-- I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2 I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, . .”

Yes, we are in competition in all sorts of ways, but there is one battle that we cannot afford to lose, and that is the battle for our souls. To lose this battle is to lose everything that is good and precious. To win this battle defines the goal of all goals and all future happiness and security. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if folks were as interested in this spiritual struggle as they are in sports competition?!!

Lindy McDaniel, April 1, 2011
E-Mail: lindymcdaniel41@yahoo.com

Over The Top

We can make an idol out of anything. I have known players who have built their whole life around baseball. I had 15 “Hall of Fame” teammates over the course of my career. For some, to make the “Hall of Fame” was their ultimate goal and the guarantee of immortality. I am sure that the same is true of football, basketball, and other sports. To wear the “Championship Ring” is what life’s all about. Does it pay off? Yes, it brings handsome rewards in money and fame. At the same time, becoming obsessed with this destroys lives and distorts reality. In this article I want to examine some things that seem “over the top” in terms of reality, values and priorities.

We live in an age of exaggeration where advertising is “over the top” and everything is made to seem “bigger than life.” This applies to sports events, selling cars or almost any product you can name. Every product has to be the biggest, fastest, newest, more improved, amazing, awesome, astonishing and on and on it goes. I would like to see just one car commercial, I’m sure there must be one, that has a bit of realism connected with it. Cars fly, disappear, transform themselves, cause lightning, create tornados and just plain do all kinds of supernatural things. We are amused by babies who give financial advise, animals, birds and reptiles that talk. In this, we can surely separate fiction from reality, but my point is that advertizing often has very little to do with reality. It is designed to grab your attention, but I think I have become totally immune to all of the advertizing gimmicks. I just want to know what the product does without all the hype.
Sports Hype

I was reminded of this while watching some of the build up to the “Super Bowl” football game. I admit that I do enjoy watching football, although I personally think it is a rather brutal game, but I could do without all the hype. I have gotten to the point where I cannot listen to the average sports talk program. I appreciate the “talking heads” knowledge of the game, but they go overboard in their comments. You would think that nothing exists in the whole world as important as sports. It is definitely a money industry that is happy to accommodate millions of hungry fans. Now the football owners and players are going at one another, through the collective bargaining process, because they cannot figure out how to divide up the billions of dollars of revenue coming into the game. Some have reported that the owners are prepared to shut down football for as long as two years because they have guaranteed T.V. contracts whether they play games or not. I wonder how “Fox” feels about that? Now my head is really spinning as I try to digest all of this. Let me get this straight. Both the players and the owners rely on the fans for support, but if there is no professional football for two years, it will be alright for the fans will support the game no matter what and pack the stadiums. Really??!! Are we not talking about a form of idolatry here? Will the fans really flock to the ball parks to support players who make millions of dollars no matter what? But no one is forcing people to attend, buy the products or act in crazy ways. People do this voluntarily. It is a culture problem.

When I see fans all dressed up (or painted up) with all kinds of ridiculous outfits and yelling and screaming at every opportunity (especially if they know the camera is on them), acting like crazy fools, it does make me wonder. And have you noticed that the human body is no longer awesome unless it is covered with tattoos or fresh paint? Some can no longer feel special unless they sport a weird haircut. Natural colors are definitely out with some – it needs to be purple, orange, green or blue. And isn’t it strange that many sports activities are advertised by beer companies showing young people drinking and engaging in lewd behavior? Are we having fun yet??!! Have you noticed the dress and gyrations of the cheer leaders? Not much is left to the imagination. Oh, I can hear my critics now, “Lindy, you are so out of it!”. And somehow we condemn old time movies where the actors and actresses smoked, but what is going on now is far worse.

As a player I enjoyed the competition and playing the game, but do modern players have to celebrate after every play? I suppose this is all part of the culture in which we live. Is it my imagination, but are not sports becoming more intense and brutal every passing year? Is there no longer room for saneness, kindness and brotherly love? Does decent behavior end when we enter into the public arena? Where does it all lead? Winning is important, but have we not become obsessed with winning? Don’t tell me there is not a double standard when it comes to our successful athletes and coaches. I see coaches yelling, screaming and cursing. What level of collateral damage is acceptable? Sports can become a “high” as much as any drug. Sometimes I want to say, “Get a grip and get a life”. This is not a blanket condemnation, but you surely get the point. We need to bring sanity back to sports.

It’s not that I’m opposed to sports. Sports have their place in society. But it is this obsession that I’m concerned about. And I will tell you this, one does not have to curse and chew tobacco to be a real player. We need more good coaches who use sports to teach real values about life rather than showing how big a jerk they can become. I am not impressed with either coaches or players who believe that winning gives them the right to engage in anti-God and anti-social conduct, not that they would pay attention to anything that I might say. But it is refreshing every now and then to learn that some conduct of some super stars is even over the top with the fans, and these players have lost favor and social standing.

Where Are Our Piorities?

There are multitudes of fans who can tell you all the stats about their favorite players or teams, but cannot answer the most simple questions about the Bible. The Bible will get you to heaven and teach you how to find genuine happiness on earth, but sports only provide a bit of entertainment. The jails are full of people who have never heard of Adam and Eve or have a clue about Jesus Christ, yet they can name their favorite rock stars or athletes. The artificial world of “virtual reality”, electronics, text messaging, face book, cell phones, etc. have become the new reality. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad for advancements in communication, but all of these advancements can have a ugly side if they become our masters. What have we become, as a people, when we lose sight of the things that are truly significant – God, family, friends and country?

To be honest, very few things are really awesome or fantastic. By abusing the English language it is getting more and more difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is artificial, what is important and what is trivial. I wonder sometimes if it is not because people are so bored with ordinary life that everything has to be exaggerated. We tend to fill our lives with so much fluff and non-sense that we fail to see and understand things that are truly important and meaningful.

Some Things Are Awesome

This is not to say that some things are not awesome. I agree with David in Psalms 139:14: “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” I think that God’s creation is absolutely awesome. I have witnessed beautiful sunrises and sunsets. There is something very special about genuine friendships, and marriage as designed by God is a beautiful and wonderful thing. I am impressed by unselfish acts of kindness. I am impressed by those who are willing to tell the truth even to their own hurt. I am impressed by the dedication and sacrifice of parents who have children with major defects, mental or physical, and show us the meaning of genuine love. There are many examples of this all around. I am 75 years old, and I experience some awesome things every day. I know, without exaggeration, that Christ can do some fantastic things in our lives. Paul wrote in Eph. 3:16-21: “ 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” This language is not over the top.

Someone sent me an E-mail the other day showing the ability of super computers to collect masses of data that is truly overwhelming and impossible to conceive. It makes us feel so insignificant and meaningless. Who am I in such a vast world? Yet there is one Bible passage that brings us back to reality, “the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30). What an awesome God who will never lose track of us and knows all that we face. In this rather cold and impersonal world, it is good to know that we have a personal God!

I could do without all the hype about worldly things that promise much but deliver little and produce a world of delusion. If you need all this hype to find meaning in life, then what is the next level? What is the next level of sensationalism, blood and gore, weirdness, debauchery, etc.? I used to enjoy a good detective movie, but now they have to add all those terrible graphics, blood and gore, or people just won’t watch I suppose. I love good music and even enjoy “American Idol” although the title tells me more than I want to know. Even so, vulgar words are said by the judges (bleeped out of course), but everyone laughs about the well advertised bleep. I don’t know where we are headed, but it ain’t good. Call me “old fashioned” if you please!

Reminds me of Peter’s statement in 2 Pet. 2:17-19 about the peddlers of sensationalism of his day: “17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.” That’s a great insight. Promising freedom but reducing men into slaves of corruption.

--- Lindy McDaniel, March 1, 2011
E-mail address: lindymcdaniel41@yahoo.com
Home address: 1095 Meadow Hill Drive, Lavon, Texas 75166.

Notice: New articles are posted in the Pitching For The Master blog the first of each month. Blog address is: http://pitchingforthemaster.blogspot.com/

I Played Baseball on Sunday

Yes, I played baseball on Sunday. So what is unusual about that? Do not all Major League baseball players play baseball on Sunday? Yes, they do. But some may ask, “Isn’t that inconsistent with being a Christian as you claim to be?” “Is not Sunday the Christian Sabbath?” As a Christian I am to be subject to Jesus Christ in all things. So if Jesus taught, either personally or through His apostles, that Sunday is the Christian Sabbath, then as a Christian I would be compelled not to play baseball on Sunday, nor engage in any recreational activity or work on that day. Else I would compromise my faith in Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, I felt strongly enough about worship on Sunday (the Biblical term is “the first day of the week”) that I refused to sign my first professional contract unless I was guaranteed by the baseball authorities the right to worship at the place of my choosing on every first day of the week. Every baseball club honored this request. I am wondering how many sports organizations would be so liberal today.

Historically, even in baseball, the matter of engaging in secular work on Sunday has been controversial although not so much in recent times. Any casual research on “Christian Sabbath” will reveal that this has been an issue among Catholics, Major Denominations, R.L.D.S., various Sabbath keeping groups, etc. Sunday Sabbath keeping has been written into many of the denominational creed books including the Moody Institute, the Westminister Confession of faith, the 17th century puritans, etc. This belief is responsible for the Sunday “blue” laws, the closing of businesses on Sunday and other such things. This, among other things, was probably a factor in the famous evangelist Billy Sunday quitting baseball and engaging full time in religious work. As to my own personal experience, all Major League baseball players play baseball on Sunday. Even the Jewish players I have known played baseball on the Jewish “Sabbath day”. So this presents a real dilemma if you have religious convictions along this line.

Even Major League baseball, in order to address some kind of religious vacuum, established the Baseball Chapel program on Sunday administered through the Commissioner’s office. I am not certain as to the motive behind this. It comes across as “one size fits all” which on the surface seems contrary to religious freedom. I never joined this organization because it’s constitution and by-laws were contrary to my own personal beliefs. I did not then, nor now, believe that it was a wise thing for baseball to become directly or officially entangled in matters of religion – the setting up of devotionals, religious speakers, etc. However, I do strongly believe that the owners should make special allowances and accommodations for sincerely held religious beliefs whether Christian or Jew. A player’s religion does not stop when he puts on a baseball uniform. If I owned and operated a business, I certainly would make every effort to accommodate sincerely held religious beliefs.

This is a bit humorous, but one spring the Yankees roomed me with a young pitcher who was a “Seventh Day Adventist.” I am sure, although it was not stated, that that the Yankees hoped that I would influence his thinking (convert him) so that he could pitch on “the Sabbath Day”. The Sabbath Day according to his conviction was 6:00 pm Friday until 6:00 pm Saturday – the Jewish Sabbath. As you might imagine, it is very difficult to set up a pitching rotation if one of your pitchers cannot pitch on those days. Yes, we did have discussions about religion and I even discussed this with one of his ministers for six hours in two separate sessions, but my interest was purely religious and not secular. If this is a sincerely held belief, then you should remain true to your convictions unless convinced otherwise by the evidence of scripture.

I do believe that the first day of the week is a special day to a Christian. Jesus was raised from the dead on the first day of the week. The first six appearances after His resurrection occurred on the first day of the week. See Matt. 28:1-2; Mark 16:9, 12; Luke 24:6-11, 22, 31; 24:36; John 20:19-24, 26-29. The first gospel sermon proclaiming the resurrected Christ occurred on the first day of the week, the day of Pentecost. See Acts 2. Early Christians assembled on the first day of the week to observe Lord’s supper and engage in various acts of worship. See Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2. I believe that the “Lord’s Day” of Rev. 1:10 could be none other than the first day of the week -- the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, Gentile Christians were never taught to observe the Sabbath day (Col. 2:16-17), which was simply a Jewish day to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt. See Deut. 5:15; Neh. 9:13-14. There is no record of the Sabbath day being given to any people but the Jews.

It was only later in history that the concept of the “Christian Sabbath” developed. All of this history post dates Christ and the apostles to whom we look to for our authority. In New Testament days, the first day of the week was a regular work day for Christians, even though they considered this day special for the above reasons. The early Christians would assemble either early in the morning or in the evening. Thus, my insistence to be allowed to worship on Sunday at the place of my choice. I did not believe that I could morally and spiritually survive the game of baseball without this regular contact with my brethren. I did not want baseball to substitute their own ideas about worship and devotion and impose these on the players. In baseball’s defense, their Chapel program is strictly voluntary in nature.

This is a great subject and I have only given you a capsule of what the Bible teaches on this and why I could play baseball on Sunday with a good conscience.

---Lindy McDaniel, February, 2011
Contact Lindy by E-mail: lindymcdaniel41@yahoo.com
Home address: 1095 Meadow Hill Drive, Lavon, Texas 75166

Notice: New articles will be posted on the first of every month. This will help my readers to know when new material will appear. Also, I am featured in the Cardinals Gameday Magazine just published. Staff writer Tom Klein devoted seven pages to my career and did a balanced and accurate story. You can obtain this by writing to: St. Louis Cardinals Publications, 700 Clark Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63102. Ask for Cardinals Gameday Magazine, 2010-11, Issue 7 which sells for $5.00.