Playing Hurt
Paul in Cannon Beach
4,703 Posts
Do you agree with this?
Playing hurt
By John Greenlee
Lou Gehrig played in 2,130 consecutive baseball games during his 17 year career. He got the job with the Yankees because the starting 1st baseman had a headache. Gehrig never missed a game after that until he retired. No wonder they called him “the Iron Man.” It took half a century for his record to be broken. Cal Ripkin, of the Baltimore Orioles, played in 2,632 consecutive games over a 21 year career. Did they get sick, or hurt, or tired? Of course they did! In a physical examination after his retirement, X-rays showed that every finger on both of Gehrig’s hands had been broken at least once. But not once did he complain or ask to be relieved. There must have been days when those hands hurt badly. But Gehrig nor Ripkin never missed a game. They played hurt. That’s part of what greatness is about… playing hurt and not quitting. While the more fragile “stars” begged off because of headaches, fatigue or gave into their injuries, Gehrig and Ripkin just kept on playing the game, in spite of personal pain. Everybody gets hurt. A tough high school principled chided a student for wanting to be excused from class because he had a headache. “Son, half the people in the world have a headache. Go back to class!” Most people are hurting. But maturity and stature are measured in large part by whether we hang in there even when we’re hurting. Winners aren’t quitters, and quitters aren’t winners. There are hurts besides physical pain too. Hurt feelings, injured egos, painful comments, or the heartache of being wronged cause many people to quit. We may think that we have the most painful hurt in the world but commitment and endurance are measured by quitting, not by the degree of pain we’re suffering. Everyone gets hurt in every human relationship-marriage, family, business, friendship, social group, even church! At some time or other it will happen to all of us. But if getting hurt or disappointed or discouraged were reasons enough to quit, there wouldn’t be anyone left in any profession. No on knows if anyone ever asked Lou Gehrig why he kept playing when he had broken fingers. But if they had to ask, they wouldn’t understand the answer. Quitters can always find an ache, a pain, or an injury as an excuse for dropping out of the game. Only winners play hurt.
Playing hurt
By John Greenlee
Lou Gehrig played in 2,130 consecutive baseball games during his 17 year career. He got the job with the Yankees because the starting 1st baseman had a headache. Gehrig never missed a game after that until he retired. No wonder they called him “the Iron Man.” It took half a century for his record to be broken. Cal Ripkin, of the Baltimore Orioles, played in 2,632 consecutive games over a 21 year career. Did they get sick, or hurt, or tired? Of course they did! In a physical examination after his retirement, X-rays showed that every finger on both of Gehrig’s hands had been broken at least once. But not once did he complain or ask to be relieved. There must have been days when those hands hurt badly. But Gehrig nor Ripkin never missed a game. They played hurt. That’s part of what greatness is about… playing hurt and not quitting. While the more fragile “stars” begged off because of headaches, fatigue or gave into their injuries, Gehrig and Ripkin just kept on playing the game, in spite of personal pain. Everybody gets hurt. A tough high school principled chided a student for wanting to be excused from class because he had a headache. “Son, half the people in the world have a headache. Go back to class!” Most people are hurting. But maturity and stature are measured in large part by whether we hang in there even when we’re hurting. Winners aren’t quitters, and quitters aren’t winners. There are hurts besides physical pain too. Hurt feelings, injured egos, painful comments, or the heartache of being wronged cause many people to quit. We may think that we have the most painful hurt in the world but commitment and endurance are measured by quitting, not by the degree of pain we’re suffering. Everyone gets hurt in every human relationship-marriage, family, business, friendship, social group, even church! At some time or other it will happen to all of us. But if getting hurt or disappointed or discouraged were reasons enough to quit, there wouldn’t be anyone left in any profession. No on knows if anyone ever asked Lou Gehrig why he kept playing when he had broken fingers. But if they had to ask, they wouldn’t understand the answer. Quitters can always find an ache, a pain, or an injury as an excuse for dropping out of the game. Only winners play hurt.
Comments
We've raised a generation that knows little or nothing about the satisfaction of "earning" a living. Many young people coming from high school today expecting to do the minimum and get the maximum. To think they'll be operating the nursing homes we'll live in some day...
That's exactly what I told Parabeagle several years ago when he was griping about paying school taxes.
This has nothing to do with "playing hurt", of course, but it said a lot about the mentality of the younger workforce. I'm not that much older (36) but I tell entry level applicants that we expect at least a year in the position for which we hired them, before we'd consider them for a promotion. For management positions, in general we expect at least 2 years commitment before considering them for a promotion.
Maybe I need to reconsider that, but I hate the expectation of promotion opportunities before "doing the time".
EXACTLY!!
Coming in with a cold is sort of expected, but being a drama queen about it makes me nuts.
I'm not referring to any of the Forumites, of course. I can't hear your snuffling so it's OK.
One, it does not help the ER if the EE comes to work contagious and infects more of the work force. In this regard, "playing hurt" does not add to your company's productivity, it hurts it.
And speaking of productivity, if one is such a super star that his/her level of play is higher than his/her replacement, then by all means, play on. But if that persons pain/injury diminishes their performance in such a manner that the team loses games that they would otherwise win, how does that advance the goal?
I believe in a strong work ethic. I think it has diminished in the last couple of decades, but I also think it might be tougher to take oneself out of the line up to contribute to the greater good when your best efforts are not good enough.
Consider someone that should have retired, but is still in the game - playing hurt. Is that right?
In a narrow context, playing hurt sounds like the noble thing to do, but context is not always narrow. Cal Ripkin, Lou and other notables might be able to pull it off in games, but when it comes to life - it is not always the noble or wise thing to do.
Someone that had a mild stroke or heart attack might just think it was dizziness or indigestion and go on with the game, only to drop dead a week or so later.
Just another view.
Accomplishing an objective despite difficulties is good. Doing a tough job even though you dont feel like it is good. Going above and beyond to make sure something is done well is good.
There are times when playing hurt is admirable to be sure. I also admire people that understand what it means to balance work and life without compromising either.