Randy Smith: There's No Crying In Baseball

  • Friday, February 26, 2021
  • Randy Smith
Randy Smith
Randy Smith
I'm sure you remember the scene in the movie " League of Their Own " when manager Tom Hanks responds to one of his female players who was shedding tears over being chewed out by him in the heat of a game. Hanks asked her, " Are you crying? There's no crying in baseball!"

Crying is an emotion that can be from sadness, pain or extreme joy. In all three of these instances, it is not allowed in baseball. It's an unwritten rule. I can't ever remember crying at any sporting event in my life.
The closest I ever came was when Tennessee won the football National Championship in 1998. Had I shed a tear or two it was from extreme joy and pride in what the Volunteers accomplished that season. By the way, we were warned not to cry by Vol Network executive producer Edwin Huster, whose eyes were a little moist himself following the Vols' win over Florida State.

But, baseball is the only sport where crying seems to be totally unacceptable. As you know, I am a huge fan of kids baseball and especially when they are really young there is an occasional crying spell. It can be from being hit with a ball, being called out on strikes when the youngster feels the umpire made a bad call, of when things just don't go their way and they feel like they let their teammates down. One of the toughest things to teach young players is to not show emotion. If you're standing on the mound after giving up a base hit and allowing several runs to score and tears are streaming down your face, you are telling your competition that they have gotten to you. They have made a dent in your armor and when you cry, it's over. Your coach may as well take you out of the game because you are now toast.

When players get older, they are able to contain their emotions better. When major league players give up a late inning home run, they don't cry or show emotion, except for the proverbial cuss word or two. In some instances, the next batter will get a baseball in the back but never are tears shed. 

With pitchers and catchers already reporting to spring training camps and with my grandson's team opening its season this Sunday, I am almost to the point of happy tears myself. Baseball is finally here. I saw a meme on Facebook this morning from " Baseballisms " that said, " There's no crying in Baseball. Unless it's the final out of the final inning of the final game of your career."

I would suppose it's okay to cry a few tears when it's all over. When you never put on your cleats again, and look for other ways to pass the time, it's acceptable to cry a little. As I mentioned, I am filled with extreme joy at the thought of watching my grandson Coleman take the field this Sunday, weather permitting. And if rain wins and they're unable to play, this grandfather may be tempted to shed a tear or two anyway, but I probably won't  because there is no crying in baseball.   

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Randy Smith can be reached at rsmithsports@epbfi.com

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