Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the park. One of the seasonal favorites of summer is baseball. According to a 1974 ad jingle, nothing is more American than baseball, hotdogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet. For those who love baseball, you probably enjoy the All-Star Game where you get to see all of the top players at one time.
The All-Star Game was the creation of a sports editor. It was one of the darkest years of the Great Depression and people needed something to lift their spirits. Billed as “The Game of the Century” and a “one-time event,” that special game happened on this day in 1933. It was played in Chicago’s Comiskey Park.
Baseball players were affected by the Depression as well as everyone else. As attendance at the games significantly diminished, so did the revenue. Rosters were cut, coaches were released, and the wages of everyone, players included, were slashed by 25%. Those who could afford to attend the games left the expensive box seats and headed to the bleachers where they paid 50 cents for a ticket.
The first All-Star Game drew a crowd of 47,595 fans who were excited to see their favorite players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe Cronin, and Lefty Grove. The American League won the game, 4-2, but baseball and its fans were the ultimate winners. Since 1933, the only All-Star Games that have been cancelled were in 1945 due to WWII travel restrictions and 2020 because of COVID.1
Here’s how the All-Star selection process happens. MLB All-Star players are chosen through a combination of fan voting, player ballots, and selections by the Commissioner’s Office. There are 30 MLB teams. Each team has a 26-player roster. That means there are 780 MLB players. For the All-Star game, both the AL and NL pick 32 players for a combined total of 64 players out of 780. That means only 8% make the cut.
Now, let’s move this to the spiritual realm. Are there All-Stars in the Bible? Hebrews 11:4-5 says, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (5) By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
Sixteen names are mentioned in this famous chapter. However, these men would cringe and correct the person that foolishly called them “stars.” Even though their names are mentioned here, God didn’t refer to them as stars. They were just prominent figures and they all would have agreed that they are not stars; they are servants.
Yes, there are many names mentioned in the Bible. However, there are so many names that go unmentioned. 2 Corinthians 8:16-18 gives us an example of this. “But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. (17) For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. (18) And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches.”
What’s the name of “the brother?” We are never told. Does that make him less important? Maybe that’s the wrong question to ask. Do we think Titus would have declared his “greater importance?” Did Paul flash his “Apostle Badge” and tell everyone that they should listen to him because he was important? Absolutely not.
While All-Stars may exist in the world of sports, let’s remember that we aren’t in competition with one another, vying for noticeable positions. We all must have the attitude of Paul, regardless of whether or not our name is known. It’s the same comment made of Timothy, Epaphras, James, Peter, Jude, and John. May it be said of us.
“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.” (Romans 1:1)
1https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-6/major-league-baseballs-first-all-star-game-is-held
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