Someonesaidthatencouragementissimplyremindingapersonofthe"shoulders"he'sstandingon,theheritagehe'sbeengiven.That'swhathappenedwhenayoungman,thesonofastarbaseballplayer,wasdraftedbyoneoftheminor-leagueteams.Hardashetried,hisfirstseasonwasdisappointing,andbymidseasonheexpectedtobereleasedanyday.
Thecoacheswerebewilderedbyhisfailurebecausehepossessedallthecharacteristicsofasuperbathlete,buthecouldn'tseemtoincorporatethoseadvantagesintoacoordinatedeffort.Heseemedtohavebecomedisconnectedfromhispotential.
Hisfutureseemeddarkestonedaywhenhehadalreadystruckouthisfirsttimeatbat.Thenhesteppeduptothebatter'sboxagainandquicklyranuptwostrikes.Thecatchercalledatime-outandrantothepitcher'smoundforaconference.Whiletheywerebusy,theumpire,standingbehindtheplate,spokecasuallytotheboy.
Thenplayresumed,thenextpitchwasthrown—andtheyoungmanknockeditoutofthepark.Thatwastheturningpoint.Fromthenon,heplayedthegamewithanewconfidenceandpowerthatquicklydrewtheattentionoftheparentteam,andhewascalleduptothemajors.
Onthedayhewasleavingforthecity,oneofhiscoachesaskedhimwhathadcausedsuchaturnaround.Theyoungmanrepliedthatitwastheencouragingremarktheumpirehadmadethatdaywhenhisbaseballcareerhadseemeddoomed.
"HetoldmeIremindedhimofallthetimeshehadstoodbehindmydadinthebatter'sbox,''theboyexplained."HesaidIwasholdingthebatjustthewayDadhadheldit.Andhetoldme,'Icanseehisgenesinyou;youhaveyourfather'sarms.'Afterthat,wheneverIswungthebat,IjustimaginedIwasusingDad'sarmsinsteadofmyown."