Texas Rangers and Bobby Jones

Monday Inspiration: Texas Rangers and Bobby Jones

I had the privilege of attending the Texas Ranger game Saturday night, where they won the American League Championship Series. For the second time in two years they’ll be travelling to the World Series.

If you live in Texas, you grow up knowing that Nolan Ryan, part owner of the team and baseball legend, is a hero. We even include essays about him in our school textbooks. Ron Washington, team manager, is a character and has done amazing things with this group of men. He’s also taught us a thing or two about grace and forgiveness.

The team is filled with examples of stand-up guys whose lives are living testimonies–like Josh Hamilton.

But before we went to Saturday’s game, my husband had me read an article on Bobby Jones. Manager of our Triple-A team, The Round Rock Express, Bobby has had a hand in directing the growth of many of the Texas Ranger players for the last 24 years, and he played ball himself for 20 years before that. It was a baseball career that was interrupted by 14 months in an infantry brigade artillery unit in Vietnam.

Bobby Jones is a patriot. He’s also a role model for the players who now comprise a championship team. And Nolan Ryan recognizes the importance of keeping men like Bobby around … after all it takes an entire village to raise a team. It takes an entire village to create champions.

After suffering permanent hearing loss, and after losing many of his friends overseas, Bobby came back with a perspective that he’s never lost.

“This is a game,” he says. “It’s not life or death. You play hard, do the best you can and, if you don’t win, that’s all right. As long as you’re giving an honest effort. That’s how I look at life now.”

It’s no wonder he has 1500 career managerial victories. It’s no wonder these young men love and admire him … something I find inspirational.

“Love him,” says Esteban German, who has played four seasons under Jones. “He never gets frustrated, he never changes. He’s always the same guy, and he’s always positive. There are so many ups and downs in a season, but he’s always the same. He motivates.”

I’ll be watching The Rangers play next week. I know Bobby Jones will be on the sidelines. Technically he doesn’t have to be there, Round Rock’s season is over. But we’ll see him. The guys count on him, and he’d never let them down.

V~

P.S. – I’ll announce the winner of the contest tonight — I’ll add it as a COMMENT to this post. I downloaded a program called THE HAT. I enter your names in, hit the button, and THE HAT pulls one out. EASY! Good luck to everyone. We’ll have a new contest later this week, so check back.

Tagged: A Simple Amish Christmas, Falling to Pieces, Monday Inspiration, Shipshewana Amish Mystery