Gamesmanship and sportsmanship: Give me the latter
May 10, 2013 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365
It's that time of year when tension and competitive natures kick into high gear with state championships on the line.
A couple of actions this week were part of the landscape. One questionable at best, athough it may have been good for a chuckle. The other is what you're (pleasantly) stunned to see when it does happen.
The questionable action -- gamesmanship -- took place at a baseball game. Teams that had met twice earlier in the season were about to engage in an elimination game. The team that won the first two meetings took it upon themselves to place a broom on the top of its opponent's dugout. Sweep the implication.
Nothing came of it since the stadium manager removed the broom prior to the other team's arrival. But that kind of action, seemingly innocent, only serves to ramp up emotions and create or further bad blood. Leave thatstuff at home guys. It's the kind of thing that can boil over when the game begins and leaves umpires an security to clean up and or prevent a mess. They have a hard enough job as it is. Win with your ability. Your performance. Forget about trying to intimidate.
Fast-forward to Thursday night at the boys volleyball semifinal between Desert Vista and Gilbert. The crowd and teams are playing at a fever pitch. Gilbert is up two sets to none. The second set had a series of calls that seemingly went against Desert Vista. In the third set things remained tight. The set is nearly even when a Thunder player's spike clearly glances off Gilbert libero Chandler Baugh. The ruling is out of bounds. Point Gilbert. The entire gym groans in unison knowing the call was missed. It wont' be changed ---....-.
Well, yes it was. Baugh walked over to a referee and admitted the ball caromed off him. The call was reversed. Had it not been, Gilbert would have led 19-17 in set Desert Vista had have to keep playing. The reversal made it 18-18. Desert Vista went on to win the set, forced a fourth where it was beaten in a thrilling finish, 30-28.
Don't know Baugh's mindset. Even though you know he wants to win, he decided he couldn't let that play go by without fessing up. It was astonishing. It's the kind of action I haven't seen often. I don't think I would use all 10 digits counting up sportsmanlike displays such as Baugh's.
Like a triple play or inside-the-park home run, Baugh's action was a rarity. Just thought I'd point it out. It was worth the look.