Dave Dravecky - Called Up: Stories of Life and Faith from the Great Game of Baseball

Dave Dravecky (Todays Heroes) (with Tim Stafford)

Do Not Lose Heart (with Jan Dravecky and Steve Halliday)

Glimpses of Heaven (with Jan Dravecky and Amanda Sorenson)

ZONDERVAN

Called Up

Copyright 2004 by Dave Dravecky and Mike Yorkey Creative Services, Inc.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition MARCH 2010 ISBN: 978-0-310-87159-0

Requests for information should be addressed to: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dravecky, Dave.

Called up: stories of life and faith from the great game of baseball / by Dave Dravecky with Mike Yorkey.1st ed.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 031025230-X

1. Christian life. 2. BaseballReligious aspectsChristianity.

I. Yorkey, Mike. II. Title.

BV4501.3.D73 2003

242.68dc22

2003022952

CIP

This edition printed on acid-free paper.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

The website addresses recommended throughout this book are offered as a resource to you. These websites are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement on the part of Zondervan, nor do we vouch for their content for the life of this book.

Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications, Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.

To Byron Ballard

Without your help, I might not have been called up.

The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. Its been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again. Oh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.

Terence Mann (played by James Earl Jones) talking to Ray Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner) from the 1989 film, Field of Dreams

During eight seasons of playing major league baseball, I learned more than the importance of getting ahead in the count or wasting a pitch when I had the batter in the hole with an 02 count. Baseball taught me a lot about life and about my relationship with God. I learned incredible lessons about what it meant to be a Christian in a worldly, money-soaked profession played before sellout crowds in gleaming new stadiums and in the living rooms of America. I learned that cheating by scuffing the baseball may earn a pitcher baseball immortality, but that doesnt earn immortality with God. I learned that teammates were watching my every move, so I had to walk the talk. I learned that Satan had a sneaky move to first base, but if I kept close to Gods bag of truth, he wouldnt pick me off.

At the same time I was learning these timeless lessons, I had the greatest time playing professional baseball. To become a major league baseball player is to jump into the sandbox of life: you play a game for a living, you get paid ridiculous amounts of money, and everyone is your friend. I believe this great game is still the national pastime, especially for families. Theres nothing like multi-generationsgrandparents and parents and grandkidswatching a baseball game together. I dont care if the game is being played at Yankee Stadium or a Little League diamond in a neighborhood park. Pitches are thrown, batters take swings, and fielders make plays. Baseball has a wonderful rhythm that hasnt changed for nearly 150 years. Three strikes and youre out. Take your base on four balls. You have to touch first, second, and third base before you can come home. The games not over until the final out. Baseball keeps you young. As Willie Mays once said, Youve got to have a lot of little boy in you to play this game.

This reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 18:3: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. That is, we should have the attitude of a trusting child when we approach God. I like having a childlike attitude of trust and faith when it comes to my relationship with Christ. Its kind of like someone saying, Youve got to have a lot of little boy (and little girl) in you to trust in the Lord.

Thats just one of the few similarities I see between baseball and our Christian faith. Were drafted to play on his team (the Angels?), whether we deserve it or not. We have the fundamentals drilled into usgetting the lead runner, hitting the cut-off man, taking the extra basejust as we study the fundamentals of our faith in Sunday school and Bible studies. We step into the batters box with the chance to make the most of our at bat, just as we hope to make the most of our interactions with others for Christ. Once were running the bases, were dependent on the third base coach, who can see the entire field of play while were running for glory. We need to follow his direction so that we reach our heavenly home without getting thrown out.

In Called Up, I draw on my on-the-field experiences and retell classic baseball stories from today and yesteryear to illustrate how God doesnt waste any pitches when it comes to teaching us something about him and his Word. Mike Yorkey, who grew up watching Padre baseball in his hometown of San Diego (and witnessed the Padres first game in 1969 as a teenager), has provided invaluable assistance in researching and writing this book with me. Youre going to love the short stories, the quick applications, the timeless thoughts, and the funny and insightful quotations.

For instance, consider the wit and wisdom of Yogi Berra, the great New York Yankee catcher who once said, Youve got to be very careful if you dont know where youre going, because you might not get there. Theres a lot of spiritual wisdom packed in that statement. If we dont know where were going to spend eternity, then we wont get there. Jesus tells us that he is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through him. Thats why we have to know where were going.

Thats just one small sample of what youll find in Called Up. Youre going to have a grand old time reading this book. Are you ready to get going? Good, because I think I just heard the umpire yell out, Play ball!