10/21/2024
Monday Motivation
The Power of Support!
If you are a baseball fan, you may know the story of Trea Turner. When I first heard about the Philadelphia Phillies shortstop, I was blown away. I’ll share the short version, but I encourage you to look up the entire story; it's quite amazing.
In 2022, Trea Turner signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for a staggering $300 million—all of it guaranteed. You read that right, $300,000,000 Guaranteed! Turner had been excelling with the Dodgers, and after the Phillies lost to my Houston Astros 🙂 , they sought to acquire a star player. They essentially "sold the farm" to secure Turner. However, his start with the Phillies was rough. To say he struggled would be an understatement. His batting average plummeted, strikeouts soared, and costly errors plagued his performance. The atmosphere at the stadium became tense as frustrated fans expressed their disappointment. In a city known for its passionate—and sometimes ruthless—support (remember the snowballs thrown at Santa?), Turner faced a barrage of boos, jeers, and even threats. It was truly a difficult situation.
Fast forward about 100 games into the season: a Phillies superfan had an idea. Instead of booing him, why not give him a standing ovation? They decided to have "Trea Turner Day" to show their support. With the power of social media, the event was set. When Turner stepped up to the plate, 40,000 fans stood up and cheered for him. And guess what? He hit the ball and drove in a run, then stole a base. Each time he came to bat, he received a standing ovation, hitting 16 home runs in the last 48 games (he had only hit 10 in the first 112 games). He climbed to the fourth highest on-base percentage, an impressive feat considering how far he had fallen.
The point I’m trying to make here is that negativity rarely breeds success, especially when someone is struggling. Trea knew he was underperforming, and the pressure was immense. What he needed was not criticism, but a community rallying around him with positivity and support. In a world that often leans toward negativity, let this story be a beacon of hope. It shows that sometimes, all it takes to lift someone up is a simple gesture of encouragement. When we come together to support each other, we can inspire remarkable transformations. So, let us remember to be a light for those in need, for you never know how a little positivity can change the game.
