4. April 2026

All I really need to know I learned from baseball.

Growing up, there was a poster in my basement entitled "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten". My mother, an early childhood educator, was particularly fond of the simplicity of the lessons it mentioned which included things such as share everything, don't hit people, and take a nap every afternoon. I later learned that it was based on a book written by Robert Fulghum who describes himself as a 'philosopher who likes to think about everyday things...express them in writing...thus revealing simple truths with big meanings'.

A few weeks ago, I found myself deep in thought at the Rogers Centre watching a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays and a few other simple truths came to mind. So, here is my take on Robert's theme; All I really need to know I learned from baseball.

Everybody hits.

The catchphrase "everybody hits" (or in my home you elongate the "eh" sound as long as you can so it's eeeeeeeeeeverybody hits) originated from the iconic stadium announcer Brad "the Hitman" Golden. It is intended to suggest that everyone on the team contributes to the outcome. This simple truth is too easily overlooked in our daily lives both personally and professionally. In my experience, baseball reminds us that regardless of your geography, language, political views, race, age, or gender we are all in it together.

The sense of community I feel in a baseball stadium is like no other. I even went as far as to playfully write to a dear friend recently (who happens to be a clergyman) to express that I think baseball is my new preferred religion these days given its system of beliefs, values and rituals that are shared within that community. He gently corrected me to remind me that baseball, albeit incredible in many ways, is in fact just a business and not a religion. He went on to quote a former Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Fay Vincent, who said that "baseball teaches us how to deal with failure. We learn at a very young age that failure is the norm in baseball and, precisely because we have failed, we hold in high regard those who fail less often. I also find it fascinating that baseball, alone in sport, considers errors to be part of the game, part of its rigorous truth".

There's no crying in baseball.

Jimmy Dugan, a fictional baseball coach played by Tom Hanks in the unforgettable movie A League of Their Own nailed the scene when he yells at a crying player suggesting there is no room for emotion in the game of baseball. This lesson is intended to teach us not to show weakness and to tough it out in any form of competitive environment. Nowadays, I believe that would be considered rather old-fashioned and somewhat opposite to the authentic self we encourage both at home and in the workplace. Here's the thing; I'm a cryer. Particularly in situations where crying is completely unacceptable! No matter how hard I try, it's my go-to pressure release valve. So this lesson comes to me in irony. As the bodily fluids are running down my face simultaneously, I often repeat to myself out loud, "there's no crying in baseball! There's no crying in baseball!" For whatever reason (most likely linked to the mental image I conjure up of Dane Cook's "I did my best" skit) I find myself standing taller, able to take a deep breath and face the challenge in front of me. Don't get me wrong. I do not support the notion that showing emotion is a sign of weakness. It's exactly the opposite. I'm thrilled that our society is starting to find a place for prioritizing mental health. I do, however, take comfort in knowing that it feels like a secret weapon in my back pocket that non-baseball fans do not have in their toolbox of resiliency.

There's no place like home.

As I watched George Springer hit a home run on September 25th (what would have been my baseball-obsessed grandmother's 98th birthday), I was reminded that no matter how far we travel, there truly is no place like home. I was born in Calgary. My mom - Boston. My dad - Montreal. My husband - Toronto. Can you imagine the competitive tension in our sports fanatic home? For those of us lucky enough to have one, home is a grounding, comforting place that we should never take for granted. Safety, love, and happiness are a gift. When our homes and the homes of those we love are threatened, destroyed, or removed out from under us we must remember the simple lessons in life and return to the rules of the game. Play fair. Have fun. Be respectful. Winning isn't everything - and in the words of the famous Yogi Berra, "it ain't over 'till it's over".

Congratulations to the Toronto Blue Jays and the LA Dodgers for putting on a spectacular World Series 2025. May the best team win. Thank you for all you have given us.

Editor's Note: (or shall we call it non-editor's note) Please excuse any typos or errors. I flew in late last night from a visit to Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles and I'm exhausted ; )

(original article posted on Oct 30, 2025)