04/19/24
April 29, 2008
Great article, apoch! this story has restored my faith in the innate goodness of people. Agreed, Howard. And it's good to read these stories when they involve young people (high school, college). *Standing and Applauding*
posted by BoKnows at 10:57 AM on April 29, 2008
Wow. I live in Washington state and hadn't heard this story. This is another reason why I like to come to this site. Thanks for that, apoch.
posted by THX-1138 at 11:37 AM on April 29, 2008
Nice. Really damn nice. Thanks apoch.
posted by tahoemoj at 11:40 AM on April 29, 2008
chicks.... I KID!!! I KID!!! I disagree with Holtman though, I think it takes a strong and thoughtful person to cross that sports barrier and offer help to the opposing team. Great article to start the week. Thanks.
posted by kire at 11:42 AM on April 29, 2008
Great read. I would have rather learned about it on ESPN. Maybe some day.
posted by Tinman at 11:54 AM on April 29, 2008
Tinman, we'll only see this as a headline story if any of the women involved can be linked to Roger Clemens. Terrific link, Apoch.
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:57 AM on April 29, 2008
Thanks, apoch. A touching article.
posted by yzelda4045 at 12:13 PM on April 29, 2008
Absolutely a great story. I played softball competitively from age 4-22 and I can't honestly say with my season on the line i would have done that. It takes a real big person with a big heart. Also, great to see a softball story on here.
posted by amatzek at 02:02 PM on April 29, 2008
This makes me smile so hard my face hurts. Thank you for linking such a positive story. I am going to make an effort to make this the focus of all my real life sport talk today.
posted by Joey Michaels at 02:06 PM on April 29, 2008
For her part, Holtman seems not altogether sure what all the fuss is about. She seems to genuinely believe that any player in her position on any field on any day would have done the same thing. Which helps explains why it did happen on that day and on that field. Words fail me. Terrific find apoch, thanks.
posted by irunfromclones at 02:07 PM on April 29, 2008
apoch, I loved this post so much I had to post it to MeFi. I hope you don't mind. Thanks for making my day.
posted by scully at 03:52 PM on April 29, 2008
Fantastic article apoch. Absolutely wonderful.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:27 PM on April 29, 2008
Good God, a genuine display of sportsmanship! Anyone who believes that you win at any cost should read this. My competitive sporting days are over, but I like to shoot pool. Many of my fellow competitors can't believe that I don't play every game to win. Well guess what, there are other reasons to play games - whether to practice skills that will benefit me later, or giving a lesser opponent an opportunity to knock off a better player and boost their confidence. Winning isn't the only thing.
posted by whitedog65 at 04:46 PM on April 29, 2008
Umpires confirmed that the only option available under the rules was to replace Tucholsky at first base with a pinch runner and have the hit recorded as a two-run single instead of a three-run home run. Any assistance from coaches or trainers while she was an active runner would result in an out. As someone pointed out on Metafilter: NCAA women's softball rule 8.5.3.2: If an injury to a batter-runner or runner prevents her from proceeding to an awarded base, the ball is dead and substitution may be made. The substitute must legally touch all awarded or missed bases not previously touched. It appears the umpires don't know the rules to the game they're officiating.
posted by Drood at 04:59 PM on April 29, 2008
Drood, what was the point of your post. This story is about the good sportsmanship of Mallory Holtman, not about the rules. Go hang out with the heartless people on metafilter.
posted by amatzek at 06:36 PM on April 29, 2008
Drood, as a licensed sports official, I hate when people quote single articles from rule without knowing the full context of the rule book. Further reading would show that a hit ball not caught is awarded first base. Hitting the ball over the fence is not a 4 base award, but the runner can advance beyond first without assistance or interference. Hence the ruling on the field was correct. Supporting amatzek's post, it isn't about the rule book. Even in your scenario, the score would be creditied to the runner crossing home. The girl had not hit a home run in her career, ending in that moment, and good sportsmanship and humanity prevailed to give her what she deserved. Excellent story.
posted by jmurphyin at 07:00 PM on April 29, 2008
What do the people on MetaFilter know about sports? That's like asking a D&D party for dating hints.
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:14 PM on April 29, 2008
Now see amatzek, I got schooled by jmurphyin. THERE is the point of my post. I find it hilarious you say the "heartless people on metafilter" when there is such a crossover here from there. (Hey mr_crash_davis, he's calling you heartless!) And my original comment did say "This is a great tale of sportsmanship, but..." But I figured folk would be intelligent enough to figure that much out so left it off. Guess I overestimated there.
posted by Drood at 12:13 AM on April 30, 2008
New York Times picks up the story and it includes a picture of Tucholsky being carried by Holtman and Wallace. Come on fellow SpoFites. Let's not argue and point fingers in this feel-good thread. Please?
posted by scully at 06:44 AM on April 30, 2008
I love stories like this. Vecsey found a comparable example from a much higher level of sport: "In 1999, Arsene Wenger, the French coach of Arsenal of the English Premier League, insisted upon a replay of a cup match after a young Arsenal player had unwittingly set up a goal in violation of the unwritten code when an opponent is injured."
posted by rcade at 07:36 AM on April 30, 2008
"I'd rather lose with honor than win with none."
posted by apoch at 09:39 AM on April 30, 2008
A very good story. Enjoyed it.
posted by Consurfus at 12:17 PM on April 30, 2008
Yeah, I mentioned this story to our school's chaplain yesterday and he's building a talk around it right now. Yay!
posted by Joey Michaels at 01:43 PM on April 30, 2008
Wow!! Mallorys' parents must be proud. That is an awesome story.
posted by brandy at 02:58 PM on April 30, 2008
When we grow up this will not seem out of the ordinary.
posted by billsaysthis at 03:37 PM on April 30, 2008
You know...as more and more kids see players with big money contracts and huge endorsements its nice to see that the "spirit of the game" still has a place in it all.
posted by jda at 04:31 AM on May 01, 2008
When we grow up this will not seem out of the ordinary. billsaysthis Maybe on the big softball field in heaven, but many of us have grown up and this is extaordinary. I'm pretty/really old and I cannot remember another story like this. Mallory should be recognized world wide for this because it is a lesson 99.9% of the people on this earth could learn from (though she would hate that I'm sure). All the talk of athletes not being role models, we all just found one!
posted by gfinsf at 08:40 AM on May 01, 2008
It's gone national- the girls were on Good Morning America in person this morning, and the story was reported on by the other major networks.
posted by irunfromclones at 12:29 PM on May 01, 2008
Also, all credit to the opposing team, not just Holtman. It took Holtman and a teammate to carry the injured Tucholsky. And their coach could've said "No." Holtman's team went on to lose the game, and a possible chance to add to her own list of achievements in her college's record books. Great story, great post, apoch.
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:44 PM on May 01, 2008
this remind me of the time when an olympic runner pulled a hamstring during the olympics ands his dad jumped out of the stands to help him finish the raqce, thats what sports are all about.
posted by rockstar2001 at 11:47 PM on May 01, 2008
ESPN has video. Nice little package, including the initial hit and the walk around the bases.
posted by Bryant at 04:28 PM on May 06, 2008
Thanks for posting that video, Bryant. It's absolutely as emotional as the written story. Again, unbelievable show of sportsmanship.
posted by BoKnows at 05:14 PM on May 06, 2008
This left me speechless. In an age of spoiled brats on the playing fields, this story has restored my faith in the innate goodness of people. Thanks, apoch.