Being Honest

Being Honest
I'd like to share an experience I witnessed last night that exemplifies the
virtues of honesty and the principles of being a Boy Scout!

Beyond my role of Scout leader I am also a little league coach for the minor
league. I was scouting (interesting choice of terms here) the team we'll be
playing tomorrow and noticed they had a very talented first baseman. He was
older than the rest and already a good 5'5" tall. Unfortunately, he'd had
the misfortune of a couple of bad plays which resulted in the runners
advancing to 2nd base. He's also been getting some abuse from the other
team for his size and race, being Indian (as from India).

Let me add that the other teams coach doesn't exactly have the personality
that generates good sportsmanship, and I witnessed him chewing out a couple
of his players for not running fast enough, or doing EXACTLY what he told
them to do.

Now that I've set the scene we'll bring you into the 4th inning. Score is
tied! Two outs! Saied (sp???) is playing 1st, runner currently on 2nd. The
ball is pitched and hit to 2nd baseman who throws to 1st base. Saied catches
ball as runner touches base, but ball rolls out of glove! Umpire calls
runner OUT! The opposing coach and most of his parents went ballistic, and I
mean Ballistic (with a Captial B). (Had I been the ump I would have thrown
the guy out of the game) Anyway, the ump turns to Saied and says, "Did you
have control of the ball before he touched the base." The pressure is on and
you can see it on his face. Saied replied, "I caught the ball, but it rolled
out. No!" The ump reverses her decision and calls the runner safe!

Reactions: >> The opposing coach is relieved and makes a couple of choice
comments about the
ump's vision.
>> Saied is feeling he let his team down.
>> All the parents on Saied's team gives him a standing
ovation for his honesty.

I approached Saied after the inning, shook his hand and complimented him on
his honesty. I found out later through his coach that he was indeed a Boy
Scout (just joined).

Here's a boy faced with a challenging decision that could have made a
difference whether his team won or lost. He could have easily taken the easy
way out and said Yes!, but regardless of the outcome, chose that being honest
was the right way! This young man exemplified the Boy Scout principles. My
hat goes off, and my hand extended in congratulating young men who when faced
with such decisions choose the right way!

In Scouting . . .

Peter Van Houten

Peter Van Houten / E-Mail:
peter_van_houten.techsupport@qm.wv.tek.com

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