True Sportsmanship

[Ping898]

Be nice if things like this happened more often....keeps the hope for humanity alive...

Basically in a game to determine who would go to the NCAA tournament, a player who had never hit a home run, hit one, and then after hitting first base tore her ACL. With no other choice but to crawl back to first base and have a pinch runner come in (and in the process loose the home run) players from the opposing team offered and did, carry her around the bases even though it meant an extra run for their opponents and possibly loosing the game...


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/story?columnist=hays_graham&id=3372631

Both schools compete as Division II softball programs in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Neither has ever reached the NCAA tournament at the Division II level. But when they arrived for Saturday's conference doubleheader at Central Washington's 300-seat stadium in Ellensburg, a small town 100 miles and a mountain range removed from Seattle, the hosts resided one game behind the visitors at the top of the conference standings.
.....
A part-time starter in the outfield throughout her four years, Tucholsky had been caught in a numbers game this season on a deep roster that entered the weekend hitting better than .280 and having won nine games in a row. Prior to the pitch she sent over the center-field fence, she had just three hits in 34 at-bats this season.
.....
While she was doubling back to tag first base, Tucholsky's right knee gave out. The two runners who had been on base already had crossed home plate, leaving her the only offensive player on the field of play, even as she lay crumpled in the dirt a few feet from first base and a long way from home plate.
.....
Umpires confirmed that the only option available under the rules was to replace Tucholsky at first base with a pinch runner and have the hit recorded as a two-run single instead of a three-run home run. Any assistance from coaches or trainers while she was an active runner would result in an out. So without any choice, Knox prepared to make the substitution, taking both the run and the memory from Tucholsky.
"And right then," Knox said, "I heard, 'Excuse me, would it be OK if we carried her around and she touched each bag?'"
The voice belonged to Holtman, a four-year starter who owns just about every major offensive record there is to claim in Central Washington's record book.
.....
Holtman and shortstop Liz Wallace lifted Tucholsky off the ground and supported her weight between them as they began a slow trip around the bases, stopping at each one so Tucholsky's left foot could secure her passage onward.
.....
Accompanied by a standing ovation from the fans, they finally reached home plate and passed the home run hitter into the arms of her own teammates.
Then Holtman and Wallace returned to their positions and tried to win the game.
.....Central Washington did rally for two runs in the bottom of the second -- runs that might have tied the game had Knox been forced to replace Tucholsky -- but Western Oregon held on for a 4-2 win.

 

[mrhnau]

Thats how it should be played, IMHO... thanks for sharing

 

[mrhnau]

A video of the girls

 

[arnisador]

I dunno...they lost the game, in part because of it. It's nice for her but a letdown for your own team. I have very mixed feelings about this. It sends a mixed message either way.

 

[terryl965]

Yes Arni I agree, in one hand great for the girl and in the other bad for a team.

 

[mrhnau]

I dunno...they lost the game, in part because of it. It's nice for her but a letdown for your own team. I have very mixed feelings about this. It sends a mixed message either way.

If she was trying for a double or something, I'd agree. Don't pick her up and carry her to second. Get the out, then help her off. Considering she hit a home run, why not reward her for the hit? It's like finishing a degree in college, tripping and hurting yourself on the way up the stairs to get the diploma, then the school refusing to give it to you! (well, sorta!)

 

[crushing]

Be nice if things like this happened more often....keeps the hope for humanity alive...

WHAT?!?!?! It would be nice if more people tore ACLs?


Just kidding. Thanks for sharing the touching story.

 

[Ping898]

I dunno...they lost the game, in part because of it. It's nice for her but a letdown for your own team. I have very mixed feelings about this. It sends a mixed message either way.

I guess to me it shows the girls recognize that sometimes there are things that are more important than winning. Yes, they may have lost the game for the act, but they helped someone who would no longer be playing achieve something special before she left.
To me it says there are still people out there that aren't always only looking out for themself.

WHAT?!?!?! It would be nice if more people tore ACLs?

YES! I have knee problems, everyone else should too!

 

[MA-Caver]

I dunno...they lost the game, in part because of it. It's nice for her but a letdown for your own team. I have very mixed feelings about this. It sends a mixed message either way.

The willingness to lose the game because the player got hurt and the rules prohibited her team from helping her shows true sportsmanship and that message overshadows everything. I saw this story via video the other night and was moved by it. I agree more things like this need to happen.
Like the saying goes, not whether if you win or lose it's how you play the game.
I think even Vince Lombardi would've praised the team for their sportsmanship in this instance.