R.A. Dickey had the professional baseball season of his
dreams. After more than ten years in the
Minor Leagues, multiple up and downs with Major League Teams, Dickey landed a
starting pitcher role with the New York Mets and made the most of it. His record was 20-6 with an ERA of 2.73,
leading the league in strike outs on what was a very mediocre Mets team. He pitched in the All Star game. On November 15, it was announced that he won the Cy Young
Award, the highest individual honor for a Major League pitcher.
I was rooting for R.A. Dickey all season long. This may seem shocking to many who know my
devotion to the San Francisco Giants. I
was not rooting for Dickey to beat the Giants.
I was rooting for his success against all other National League
teams. More than that I was and am
rooting for this guy to succeed as a person and as a pitcher.
I found his autobiography Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest
for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball (with Wayne Coffey, Blue
Rider Press, 2012) compelling. His story
is inspiring. Raised in poverty with an
absent father and alcoholic mother, Dickey was an outstanding athlete in all
sports from an early age. He survived
childhood sexual abuse. He played on the
US Olympic baseball team. He was a
Collegiate All American pitcher. On the
day he was to sign a lucrative contract with the Texas Rangers the final
medical report came back describing that he was born with a congenital muscle
condition in his pitching arm and the contract offer was rescinded. Determined to succeed in spite of his
physical limitations, he learned how to master the mysterious knuckleball,
thrown by only a handful of successful professional pitchers in history.
Bouncing around the Minor Leagues, living on odd jobs and
the devotion of his beautiful wife, he tried everything to make it into the Big
Leagues to no avail. A “born again”
Christian, Dickey betrayed all who loved him and himself by committing adultery. After confessing his failure to the mother of
his three children, he lived on his own and at times contemplated suicide. It has only been by his wife’s patience and
understanding, the support of friends and teammates, and the long hard work of
an excellent therapist that Dickey has been able to rebuild his life, all the
while learning to pitch the knuckleball.
Finally at the age of 37 he has found peace within,
reconciliation with those who love him and a devastating knuckleball that on a
good day is impossible for opposing hitters to hit. He
had two successive one-hitters this past spring!
His biography is confessional. This is a flawed man who has had more than
his share of brokenness. He doesn’t
pretend to be something he is not. His
goal in life is to provide for his family.
It would appear that he sincerely seeks to grow closer to God and
others. Professional baseball has simply
been the venue for his journey.
I watched the box score of each of his games. I cheered his successes and mourned his
losses. I don’t know the guy. He is a New York Met, for crying out
loud. But his story is so much my
story….so much like all of our stories.
He has overcome brokenness and pain, while stumbling along the way. He has tried to learn from his mistakes. He honors the ones who have stuck with him
even when he didn’t deserve it. He has
discovered the loving the God who welcomes home the Prodigal (Luke 15) again
and again.
I am rooting for R.A. Dickey and all of the R.A. Dickeys of
the world!