My Friday breakfast book club finished its second book and met Friday at one of my favorite “libraries” … Bier Biergarten in Noblesville.  Over the last 15 years most of my reading has focused on history and Constitution-related books.  Once in a while my soul needs to be recharged and will read something that helps me center myself.  Thanks to Tony or Ben, we read “The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O’Neil’s America” 

This story was an oasis of good.  Brought tears and wisdom.

To a man we loved the book and our collective opinion was that the world needs more Buck O’Neil(s). 

One of the final chapters really moved us.  In 2006 when Buck was 94 he was passed over for the Hall of Fame when they inducted 17 people; many connected to the Negro Leagues.  Across the baseball world there was outrage.  When he was told he did not make it there was a moment of contemplation and then he asked, “Do you think they will want me to speak?”  And they and he did. What grace.  It is a must watch:

There is a part that spoke to me “They always say to me Buck I know you hate people for what they did to you of what they did to your folks I said no man I never learned to hate. I hate cancer; cancer killed my mother, my wife died 10 years ago of cancer, a good friend of mine I hate AIDS a good friend of mine died of AIDS three months ago I hate AIDS but I can’t hate a human being because my God never made anything ugly now you can be ugly if you want boy but God didn’t make you that way so I want you to light this Valley up this afternoon. Agape is a Redemptive Good Will toward all men agape is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return and when you reach love on this level you love all men not because you like them not because their ways appeal to you but you love them because God loved them and I love Jehovah my God with all my heart with all my soul and I love every one of you as I love.”  

The author Joe Posnanski, a lifelong friend of Buck’s, highlighted when Buck would break out parts of a poem, song, or impromptu haiku.  In the section of the book titled “Autumn”, Joe recounted a conversation with Monte Irvin and Buck.  Monte Irvin was lamenting the delay of Negro League players getting to the major leagues.  Irvin asked, “Why did they think we were inferior? Why did they think we could not play this game?”  Buck whispered,

It makes no sense,

Hate

It’s just fear.

All it is.

Fear something different

Something’s

Gonna get taken from you,

Stolen from you,

Find yourself lost.

In this current environment where our nation’s tribalism is stoked through fear and anger multiplied by social media’s algorithm’s rage currency. The rich and powerful exploit rage to keep the majority in check. Maybe we just need more Buck O’Neil(s).