The Things That Count the Most

By Steve Gwisdalla

714. That is the number of home runs Babe Ruth had in his career.

Chick Evans was arguably the greatest amateur golfer in history. He won 22 tour events, including 3 majors in his illustrious career, never turning pro.

Kirk Gibson was a professional baseball player with an amazing career, including a clinching home run in game 5 of the 1984 World Series to help the Tigers win. He also came off the bench and hit a game winning home run in game one of the 1988 World Series to help the Los Angelos Dodgers win a World Series. In his college days, he was an All-American athlete in both baseball and football for Michigan State (Go Green!).

I could write a dozen articles about amazing sports statistics and amazing athletes throughout history. Here are a few things you may not know.

Babe Ruth worked tirelessly behind the scenes helping children, particularly orphans, during his time as a ball player. He would buy meals, clothing, and shoes and visited countless sick children in the hospital.

Chick Evans founded a caddy scholarship that bears his name. It offers a full, four-year scholarship as well as room and board and has helped over 11,000 caddies’ graduate college. This is a scholarship based on grades, community involvement, leadership and financial need, and those caddies would not have been able to go to college without the help of an amateur golfer who founded this scholarship back in 1930. It is truly lifechanging, as I can personally attest. I received the Evans Scholarship and graduated from Michigan State University in 1993. There are currently over one thousand young people attending college at 21 universities all over the country thanks to an amateur golfer most of you have never heard of. Thanks Chick!

Kirk Gibson, while an amazing athlete who not only played pro baseball for a dozen years, but was also a Manager in the MLB, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease back in 2015. Later this year, he will open the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness, a 30,000 square foot wellness center for people with this terrible disease can go for physical assistance, classes, and support. And it will be free for people suffering with Parkinson’s.

Statistics. Records. Wins and losses. Yet for these three men and countless other men and women, the things that matter most are the things that are often not counted. It’s easy to look up Babe Ruth’s home run total. It’s easy to go on YouTube and watch Gibby’s mammoth home runs. You can still find grainy footage of Chick Evans effortless golf swing with the hickory clubs he made by hand. We live in a world where numbers matter. How much money we make, how many square feet our house is. What model car do we drive? The statistics that matter the most my friends, how many people have you helped today? How many smiles did you freely give away? How many times did you lend a hand, volunteer your time, talents, or money for those less fortunate? You see,

The things that count the most cannot always be counted.

Put the statistics away when looking at a sports star, or a movie star or a rock star, or a neighbor. Instead, let us endeavor to be a rock star to people who are less fortunate. Those are the things that count the most. We can change our communities, our neighborhoods, and our nation one act of kindness act at a time. Those are statistics worth remembering. Steve is a Dexter Resident and the Founder, Owner, Chief Holder of Useless Trivia, and pretty darn good golf caddy at Better Place Consulting, a life, success, career and small business coaching company. Reach out to him at steve@betterplacemgmt.com.