Great sportspersonship is inspiring, especially when the opposite behavior often makes headlines. Here are several feel-good moments associated with athletes (and fans) who exhibited graciousness on fields of play.
In August 2020, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainright beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 on his 39th birthday with a complete game, his first in four years. “It’s just, you know, a lot of hard work from a lot of different people have gone into making me able to pitch this year and pitch well,” an emotional Wainwright told ESPN. “You know, when you think you’re done three years ago, and you’re able to complete a game a couple years later, it’s a crazy life, a crazy game.” After the final out, the entire Cleveland dugout stood to applaud him. Adam Wainright said, “That was special. I’ll never forget it. Appreciate it. Thank you very much, Cleveland.
Courtesy ESPN
On June 2, 2012, during the home stretch of the 3,200-meter race at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III State Track Meet in Columbus, Ohio, a runner collapsed in front of high school junior Meghan Vogel. Vogel, who had won the 1,600-meter title earlier in the day, could have easily added to her trophy collection by running past her fallen competitor. Instead, she carried the girl across the finish line. “I just figured I’d help her out,” said Vogel after the race, “She deserved to finish ahead of me.”
In El Paso, Texas, on February 13, 2013, there were just 13 seconds left in a blowout win for Franklin High over Coronado High. Coronado High’s Mitchell Marcus — a special-needs student — appeared destined to finish his basketball career without a basket. But instead of running out the clock, Franklin High’s Jon Montanez turned the ball over to Marcus and said, “Shoot it, it’s your time.” Marcus took a last-second shot and sank it.
On April 26, 2008, in Monmouth, Ore., in a softball game between Western Oregon University and Central Washington University, Western Oregon senior Sara Tucholsky hit the first home run of her college career. But she tore her ACL during her home-run trot. If a substitute runner had replaced Tucholsky, her homer would have been reduced to one. And if any of her teammates touched her, she would have been called out. So, members of the opposing team carried her around the bases.
In Milwaukee, Wis., on February 7, 2009, Milwaukee Madison senior Johntel Franklin, who had lost his mother to cancer earlier in the day, did not arrive at his high school basketball game against DeKalb High until the second quarter. The referees assessed Franklin with a technical foul because his name was not in the scorebook. Despite pleas to forfeit the free throws, DeKalb High coach Dave Rohlman was forced to send one of his players to the line. DeKalb High’s Darius McNeal went to the stripe, but he intentionally missed both shots instead of taking advantage of the situation.
Photo courtesy BBC
At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Jesse Owens, the American world record holder in the long jump, had foot-faulted twice to qualify for the final. Seeing that his rival was clearly worried, Germany’s Luz Long, the European record holder, offered Owens advice on adjusting his run-up to make the qualifying distance. Owens’ next jump was successful, winning the gold medal, with Long earning silver. It all occurred in front of Adolf Hitler, who was enraged at Owens’ successes. Long was killed in World War II. “You can melt down all the medals and cups I have,” said Owens later. “And they wouldn’t be a plating on the 24-carat friendship that I felt for Luz Long at that moment.”
During the 2005 Rome Masters, in his third-round tennis match against Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, Andy Roddick had match point on Verdasco’s second serve. The linesman called out, which gave Roddick the win, but he pointed out the ball mark on the clay. Stunned, the umpire let Roddick overrule him. Verdasco then fought back, held serve, and won the set and then the match. Verdasco later thanked Roddick and called him a great sportsman, saying, “Maybe another player wouldn’t have done like Andy.”
New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D’Agostino of the US collided with 2,000 meters to go in their 5,000-meter heat at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The American got up and tried to help Hamblin to her feet before falling over because she had injured her leg. Hamblin then helped D’Agostino up, and the pair ran most of the rest of the race together before embracing at the finish line. They were reinstated in the final, but D’Agostino could not compete because she had torn her ACL. Hamblin finished 17th. The two runners were awarded the Olympic Fair Play Award. “She helped me first,” said Hamblin after the race. “I tried to help her. She was pretty bad. That girl is the Olympic spirit right there.”
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This column first appeared in The Vacaville Reporter on September 4, 2020.
