Bryce Harper spoke to a crowd of Little League baseball players on Saturday. He talked to them about how he got to the major leagues and gave them a few lessons. Most importantly, he said that participation trophies are bad.
Bryce Harper tells Little League players `No participation trophies, OK? First place only’
He has a point.
Harper: As much as they might tell you ‘oh it’s OK that you lost today’... No, Johnny. No participation trophies, OK? First place only. Come on.
For trash baseball players like myself, this message really hit home.
To give some context, I was the kid who did one of three things when it was my turn to bat in little league:
- Struck out looking
- Walked
- Got hit by a pitch
My mom strongly encouraged I quit baseball to play basketball instead. And you know what, it’s a good thing she did. I had no feel for the game, my batting stance was heinous, and the only thing I caught was ‘L’s.
Yet I still have a closet stacked with baseball trophies because I showed up to the games.
I’m too garbage at that sport to have received a reward. I should have just been banned for life after my 10th hit to the back while hovering too close to the plate.
Take my trophies, Bryce, and burn them. My 9-year-old self didn’t earn them, and my 22-year-old self can’t bear to look at a collection of copper lies any longer.
Maybe one day I’ll hit the ball and deserve such an honor. But today is not that day.
