A Sticky Issue

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports June 28, 2021 #854 Up next… A Sticky Issue

After further review… Major League Baseball season is now in full swing. Fans are back in the seats, although limited in some states as some powers-that-be are convinced that the COVID-19 is not over! The players are aware of the possible coronavirus dangers but go about their business as usual.

The key to our  “America’s national pastime” is the ball itself, which is not made in America!

That regulation baseball is 9-9 1/4 inches, weighs 5-5 1/4 ounces. It is bound together by 108 handwoven stitches through cowhide leather and manufactured by Rawlings with their plant in Costa Rica. Recently those balls were considered “hot” so MLB ordered Rawlings this year (2021) that they had to adjust their manufacturing process to reduce the bounce of the ball. They have! Batters didn’t like it!

The pitchers did! For them that wasn’t enough – never is! Every pitcher wants to throw a no-hitter! They don’t like seeing Rawlings sail over the fence. So, they invent ways that Rawlings couldn’t/wouldn’t do. The battle between pitchers and batters has always been a ”mind-game.” Pitchers have a variety of pitches at their disposal: fastball, curveball, slider, etc. Plus, a variety of velocities with speeds exceeding 100 plus MPH — from 60-feet to 6-inches away!

However, that’s not enough for some pitchers. Thus, came techniques such as using sandpaper, files, grease, etc. to “doctor” that Rawlings ball. These illegal devices make the ball jump or move during that 60-6 journey to the plate in an attempt to fool the hitter. Now comes Spider Tack that some of today’s MLB pitchers are being accused of using. It is a sticky substance illegally applied to a ball that can change the ball’s spin rate. Garret Cole, New York Yankees pitcher, was being accused of using Spider Tack and responded saying he “didn’t know how to answer that question.”

Cole continued “There are customs and practices that have been passed down from older players to younger players and there are certain things that are out of bounds,” (No, we don’t think he answered that question either). Cole continued and flipped those accusations over to the offensive side of the game, saying “batters are using gloves and pine tar and base-runners are using stickum on their gloves so when  sliding into a base their hand will stick to the bag.” While the Spider Tack question has yet to be answered, umpires are now being ordered to “examine” every pitcher’s glove and hat when he exits.

MLB recently issued the warning that any “doctoring” of the baseball will lead to a 10-game suspension!

Stay tuned for the MLB Ball Mudder Machine!

Will you log-in about who should control illegal substances that pitchers may be using?

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Jim’s books contain stories and others like these. Check out Steve Young’s story in “Chicken Soup for the Sports Fans’ Soul” a New York Times Best Seller here.

Mention this column for a 25% discount.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

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Jon Rahm

Posted on June 21, 2021 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports June 21, 2021 #853 Up next… Jon Rahm

After further review… While Jon Rahm was listed as the favorite for the 121st U.S. Open that concluded at  Torrey Pines in La Jolla (San Diego) California yesterday, this column went to press before that tournament was concluded.

Rahm is a professional golfer who was leading the 2021 Memorial Golf tournament earlier this month by 6 strokes. However, as he walked off the 18th green – he lost! How did that happen? Rahm had tied the 54-hole scoring record and could have tied Tiger Woods as the only repeating champion, but the tournament committee disqualified him. Did he record a score on his card incorrectly? Had his ball moved as he approached it? Did he ground his club in the bunker prior to hitting? Nope, he couldn’t even get as far as tournament HQ. The disqualification happened right on the 18th.

As soon as Rahm had putted out, he was informed that he tested positive for COVID-19 and thereby was disqualified!  Rahm had evidently come in contact with someone who either had the virus or was asymptomatic, which sent many to their Funk and Wagnalls to find out what that is. Rahm had tested negative in previous Covid-19 exams, but his latest test came back positive.

What to do now? Some suggested he should be allowed to play his final round in a foursome with masks. Others suggested letting him play this final round by himself. Neither of these were acceptable in the game of golf. This COVID-19 rule, as unnatural as it may seem, was a policy that was understood by all and, thus, was the only course to follow. Rahm was exasperated. He then had to spend 10 days in quarantine.

The monetary reward for this Memorial Golf Tournament, played at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, was $9,300,00 with the winner earning $1,675,000. What did Rahm get? Unfortunately, zip-nothing. Being disqualified doesn’t entitle one to any compensation. No wonder Rahm was seen doubled over on the 18th green after hearing the news.

Jon, a 26-year-old Spaniard, born in the Basque Country, Spain, now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife Kelley Cahill. He states that growing up he held golfers Sergio Garcia and Seve Ballesteros is high esteem. With a 10-day quarantine at home, Jon spent time practicing on a golf simulator even though he had shot 16-under at Memorial and played some of the best golf of his life. That’s a good remedy and an important lesson following a tragic mishap.  Got back to work!

What is your best remedy when a setback, expected or not, occurs in your life?

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Jim’s books contain stories and others like these. Check out Steve Young’s story in “Chicken Soup for the Sports Fans’ Soul” a New York Times Best Seller here.

Mention this column for a 25% discount.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

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Setting the Bar

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports June 14, 2021 #852 Up next… Setting the Bar

After further review… Even before the National Football League established the Rooney Rule, the Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB) was hiring players from diverse backgrounds. In 1969 the Pirates employed a player from Panama named Renaldo Antonio Stennett Porte. His teammates called him Rennie.  He was born in Colon, Panama, played second base, stood about 5-foot-11 at 160 pounds.

The NFL’s Rooney Rule was created from the influence of Dan Rooney, owner of the Steelers and chairman of NFL’s diversity committee. It was also the result of the firings of Tony Dungy, head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dennis Green of the Minnesota Vikings. The Rooney Rule’s purpose was to ensure that minority coaches, especially African Americans, would be considered for high-level coaching positions. It has been expanded to apply to jobs for all NFL senior football operations. Incidentally, both Dungy and Green worked for Steelers head coach Chuck Noll. Further, despite what some may think, Eugene Chung, New England’s 1st round draft choice in 1992, qualifies under the Rooney Rule.

That’s not to say that Stennett’s employment was ensured by the Rooney Rule (or such equivalent MLB rule). The “barrier” for African Americans had been broken on April 15, 1947 when Jackie Robinson was put on the field by Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers. But what made Stennett so special was that he was the leadoff hitter in MLBs first all-Black and Latino starting lineup. That day came on  September 1, 1971, 24 years after Robinson’s debut.

You probably heard of a couple of others in that lineup that Stennett led off -– Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell, both in the MLB Hall of Fame.  On September 15, 1975, Stennett went 7 for 7 at the plate in nine innings. No player has matched that since. In 1977 Stennett’s batting average of .336 helped the Pirates win the World Series. And he followed that in 1979 helping the Pirates win another World Series.

All three have passed away with Stennett dying just last month at the age of 72. Pirates President, Travis Williams, eulogized Stennett saying “Rennie symbolized what it meant to be a Pittsburgh Pirate.”

While the present Rooney Rule does not quantify characteristics of integrity and work ethic, it would be prudent to use Stennett as a good example of both.

Will you choose wisely in hiring others to shape and grow your organization?

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Jim Tunney had an exemplary career in sports. A former high school coach, teacher, principal, and district superintendent, he had a 40-year career in officiating football and basketball. Thirty-one of those years he was “The Face of NFL officiating” working a record twenty-nine post-season games including three Super Bowls (two back-to-back), ten NFC/AFC Championship games, six Pro Bowls and twenty-five Monday Night games, when MNF was THE game of the week. He officiated some of the most memorable games in NFL history, including “The Ice Bowl”, “The Kick”, “The Snowball Game”, “The Final Fumble”, “The Fog Bowl”, and “The Catch”. His book “IMPARTIAL JUDGMENT: “The Dean of NFL Referees” calls Pro Football as He Sees It”, chronicles his NFL career. See the website for all products.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

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