The baseball diamond is not the workplace, that’s clear. There’s plenty of room out there to be yourself, act a little goofy and let off some steam – ideally by hitting the ball hard and running quickly around the bases.

In my softball league, we understand that some guys come to the game a little grumpy from time to time, because of issues they’re having at work or problems they’re experiencing at home. Or, they’re sore and playing through injuries. No one is asking for ear-to-ear smiles all the time.

The league’s manta is “fun and fellowship,” which ideally means that winning comes second to having a good time. The onus is typically on teamwork and sportsmanship. Most players follow this ideal closely and it’s why they like playing. They’re not here to be superstars and get rich. The days where that seemed possible are long gone.

The “fun and fellowship” mantra was blown out of the water yesterday by our opposing team’s pitcher. Our team had jumped out to a big lead by hitting everything that he was throwing. I was on second base when he snapped at one of his players. Continue reading →