Straight Paths- It’s Yet to Be Seen!

It’s Yet to Be Seen!

Loren Hardin

For The Ashland Beacon

     This is part three of a series about Michael who departed this world at age sixty-two. Michael was an outstanding high school and college baseball player, but more importantly, Michael was a mentor-leader. Michael coached softball and taught numerous local girls how to fast pitch, even girls from opposing teams.

     Tony Dungy, coach of the 2007 Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts, wrote, "Leadership is influence … Relationships are ultimately what matter – our relationship with God and with other people. The key to becoming a mentor leader is learning how to put other people first … The question that burns in the heart of the mentor leader is simply this, ‘What can I do to make other people better, to make them all that God created them to be’ … Successful mentor leaders make the people they lead better players, workers, students, or family members – and ultimately better people … They may never know the full impact of their leadership," ("The Mentor Leader").

     Michael’s father, Bill, and I met several times over breakfast at Bob Evans to reflect upon Michael’s life. As a high school senior, Michael was being courted by the Cincinnati Reds and the Minnesota Twins, but Bill encouraged Michael to accept a full scholarship to pitch for Ohio University. Bill, apparently second guessing his advice to Michael lamented, "I sure would have liked to have seen how far Michael could have gone in the big leagues?"

     Bill shared stories of the young girls Michael coached and taught to fast pitch. He taught his daughter, Mindy, and she won sixty-seven games during her high school career and received a full scholarship and pitched for the University of Missouri. Her sister, Cindy, was her catcher in high school and in Bill’s words, "They were Clay High School’s battery." 

     Bill shared a moving incident that occurred at a Shawnee State University softball game: "This couple came over to me and asked, ‘Are you related to Mike Powell? You walk just like him. We are Ali’s parents, and we just want to thank you for what Michael did for our daughter.’ Then Ali came over and then her grandparents. Then another pitcher named Kate came over and her parents and they all thanked me for what Michael did for them."

     The most moving story was about a young girl named Jordan. Here’s Bill: "Michael worked with Jordan since she was thirteen. She pitched a really good game the other day and I complimented her. Then she told me, ‘Do you want to know how I did it? People would probably think I’m crazy, but I talk with Mike before every pitch. I hear him telling me how to hold the ball … what pitch to throw.’"

     Bill continued, "Jordan is graduating from Clay High School this year. I told her I had a graduation present and told her to stop by the house to get it. She told me that she hoped she would win Mike’s $1,000 memorial scholarship, that it would mean more to her than any full scholarship. Before Mike died, we came up with the idea of a scholarship for an athlete, but Mike told us, ‘I’ll agree, but only if it’s on my terms. They don’t have to be the best player, but they have to be a good person.’ Character meant more to Mike than anything." In case you’re wondering, Jordan was awarded the scholarship.

     When our coffee cups were almost empty and our conversation coming to a close, it was like a light bulb came on and I suggested to Bill, “I know you would have liked to have seen how far Michael could have gone in the big leagues, but it’s yet to be seen how far Michael will go. After all, Michael is still living in the hearts and minds of all those young girls he coached.” Then Bill replied, "I never looked at it that way before. That really helps!"

     Michael’s influence reminds me of the song "Thank You," by Ray Boltz: "Dreamed we went to heaven, you were there with me. We walked upon the streets of gold beside the crystal sea. We heard these angels singing and someone called your name, we turned and saw this young man and he was smiling as he came. And he said, ‘Thank you for giving to the Lord for I am a life that was changed.’” 

     "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,"(Matthew 6:19-20).

     Loren Hardin was a social worker with SOMC-Hospice for twenty-nine years and is presently an active volunteer. He can be reached at 740.357.6091 or at lorenhardin53@gmail.com. You can order Loren's book, "Straight Paths: Insights for living from those who have finished the course," at Amazon.