Vol 1 Num 2 (Second Look)

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ABOUT THIS ISSUE

A SECOND LOOK AT

SUCCESS AND FAILURE Kyle Rote, Jr., is a former professional soccer player for the Dallas Tornadoes and a three-time winner of television's Superstars competition. An auth01~ television sports commentator and motivational speaker, Kyle and his wife, Mary Lynne, live in Memphis, Tenn., with their three children. Kyle and John MacArthur co-host Second Look, a new TV program which "looks at life" through the eyes of sports and is presented by Radio Bible Class. HERE'S something exciting about competition no matter who wins. We watch intently as opponents work hard to gain an advantage. We can join in, cheering for our favorite teams or playing hard for dear old Washboard U.

The very nature of competition means there will be a winner and a loser. Right? But have you ever stopped to think about how you can find success even in a failure? Or how failure might be part of a person's greatest success? A young man who played on Duke University's basketball team a year ago told me that he felt cheated out of his feelings of accomplishment for his team's very successful basketball season because it lost the final game in the national championship. His team lost the championship game by a mere three points and finished second in the country. Yet he felt unsuccessful because the dominant value system in sports is being number one, no matter what the price, no matter what the level of competition. Competition, which can be a healthy thing, also can be extremely unhealthy. What happens when we don't win? Does our life collapse because we place too high a premium on winning?

What about the all-out pressure to win? It leads to programs being penalized and individuals being fined, suspended or banned from all competition. Is that the price of success? As an athlete, I felt as much thrill in the doing as in the winning. In one sense we are in trouble if we compare ourselves with ourselves. That can be pride. And if we try to compare our looks, talent, capabilities or accomplishments with others, eventually we'll come in second. It could be devastating - there is always someone who finishes a little

higher. Then what do we do? In this issue, we'll look at some sports people who questioned the idea of the measure of success. I hope you enjoy reading the stories about the quiet confidence of Dodgers' pitcher Orel Hershiser as he sets his goals for success, the wisdom of John Wooden as he relates character and success, and the physical challenges of Jeanette Bolden as she tells how she overcame asthma to succeed on the track. All have taken a Second Look at the true meaning of success. I hope you enjoy the magazine. •

- Kyle Rote, Jr.


SECOND LOOK MAGAZINE A RADIO BIBLE CLASS PUB LICATION PUBLISHER Martin R. DeHaan II EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ralph Dro llinger EDITOR Timothy J . Koziol MANAGING EDITOR Karen R. Drollinger

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ART DIRECTOR Steve Gier

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Why Isn't This Dodger Blue?

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Ann Manley Work Stephanie Allen Phil Johnson

After a 14-14 season, Hershiser faces his Orel exams. By Karen Rudolph Drollinger

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BUSINESS MANAGER Billie Logue

A Second Look at the '72 Olympics All was not quiet on the western front. A staff report.

TYPESETTER Type Designs

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COLOR SEPARATION Complimentary Color

World Class Dreams

PRESS PREPARATION Litho Prep, Inc.

Jeanette Bolden pursues golden opportunities. By John Carvalho

PRINTING Press of Ohio

14 Master at the Mid-Court

COVER PHOTO Stephen Dunn/ Focus West

John Wooden talks about character and success. By Karen Rudolph Drollinger

18 The Measure of Success Success is fragile and failure seems easy. By John MacArthur, Jr. D

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Copyright 1987 Radio Bible Class, Grand Rapids, MI. 49555-0001.

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13 Training Tips

Volume 1, Number 2. Printed in U.S.A.

Athletic advice from the pros

SPECIAL CREDITS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

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COVER, STEPHEN DUNN/ FOCUS WEST; P. 2, NEIL RICKLEN ; PP. 4, 5, STEPHEN DUNN/NEW FOCUS; P. 6, ANDREW BERNSTEIN/ L.A. DODGERS; P. 7, STEPHEN DUNN/ FOCUS WEST; P. 8, JERRY COOKE/ SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: P. 9, (TOP) SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, (BOTTOM) WIDE WOR LD PHOTOS; P. 10, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED;P. 12,STEVE POWELL/ALL-SPORT; P. 13, (BOTTOM) MARK ARONOFF/ THE PRESS DEMOCRAT; PP. 14, 15, V.J. LOVERO/ FOCUS WEST; P. 16, U.C. L.A.; P. 22, (LEFT TO RIGHT) V.J . LOVERO/FOC US WEST, MIKE MONTES/ BOSTON CEL TI CS, L.A. CLIPPERS; P. 24, S. P.U.K./FOCUS WEST.

For Athletes Insights from Wes Neal

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The Quiz Biz Sports Trivia Quiz

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r INTERVIEW

After a 14-14 season, Hershiser faces his Ore/ exams.

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REL HERSHISER, 28-year-old righthanded pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, took a few moments after pitching the opening game of spring training to chat with a reporter from Second Look magazine. Drafted in the seventeenth round by the Dodgers in 1979 while fresh out of Bowling Green State University in Ohio, Hershiser has always been known as a late bloomer. But by 1985 Hershiser had the highest winning percentage in baseball (.864 with a 19-3 record). Last season he slipped to a 14-14 record, and the Dodgers stuck their million-dollar pitcher with a $200,000 pay cut. Here are some highlights of what Hershiser said about winning and losing.

driving a nice car, living in a big house; the success of having a pretty wife and a nice family and a lot of friends and good health. But then there's an inner success that you can have, an inner peace, and I think that success comes from God. SL: Would you say one is measurable and one is not measurable?

HERSHISER: Right. You can measure the world's [success). Even friendship. There are people who count how many Christmas cards they get or measure their friends by whether they get invited to the right parties. 路 But the other success - God's success - you really can't measure.

SL: You have a unique name: Ore/ Leonard Hershiser IV. What's the background?

SL: What is your number one goal in life? HERSHISER: We named our son Quinton to HERSHISER: To please God. give him a chance! That's Latin for the fifth, and he's Orel Leonard Hershiser V. It's a family name. SL: So you wouldn't say success is your number The eldest child has always been a male, and that's one goal in life? So many people's primary goal in why the tradition carried on. There's no real mys- life would be those material goals you mentioned tique behind it other than it's been a tradition that's already. been carried on. Maybe there'll be a line of furni- HERSHISER: Interviews are so hard. On paper it ture after us like Louis the 15th! (Laughs.) Can you comes out so narrow. To please God is such a ,_ imagine Hershiser the 22nd furniture? broad statement. I'm going to make a lot of money ~ this year from just my baseball income alone. Now, 3 SL: There's confidence that comes from tradition. if I take that money and squander it, I'm not pleas- u But what about success? What exactly is success to you?

HERSHISER: There are two different kinds of success as I see it: the success that the world sees of winning and losing and making a lot of money;

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ing God. If I take that money and research stocks, and turn that money into a zillion dollars, that might be pleasing to God, but it might not, depending on what my attitude was in trying to get that money. I might go out and win the Cy Young this year, but the way I went about it might not please God. Maybe I'd use an illegal pitch or throw a spitter or start scuffing the ball, and I wouldn't call myself successful, because I hadn't done it within the rules. But the world would say, "That guy's successful."

view my profession, that's the kind of mindset I have. SL: Are you able to share your faith with your teammates?

HERSHISER: Yes. We have a real strong chapel program with the Dodgers - Baseball Chapel. I've been a chapel leader since AA [baseball minor leagues] when I became a Christian. Being the leader keeps me accountable - not like the guy who goes to chapel or to the Bible study, and nobody knows he went.

SL: Interviewers have called you "mild-mannered"

SL: Would you encourage kids to get involved with Christian groups for that very reason?

and "easy going." So how did you get the nickname "Bulldog"?

HERSHISER: Tommy Lasorda [Dodgers' manager) gave me the nickname " Bulldog" to remind me to be aggressive, to remind me to be competitive, but it wasn't something I needed. It was really something I thought they needed to remind themselves "this guy's competitive, even though he doesn't look like it." After a loss I wouldn1t kick the cooler or throw my glove, so I was perceived as someone who didn't care. Then they said I didn't have enough guts. Their attitude was, "He won't put himself on the line." I dealt with that label in the minors - plenty of talent but not competitive enough to win.

The Bulldog's delivery Is tough on opponents.

SL: What is the greatest motivator for you to be personally excellent? Is it pursuit of good character, maintaining a reputation, a willingness to risk yourself? HERSHISER: It's a willingness to submit myself to God and say, "I'm going to be the best I can be for You. You gave me this talent and I feel like it's a responsibility, and I'm going to do everything I can with it." When I fail, I'm free to know that was the best I could do. When I die, I want God to look at a highlight film of my life, and every clip that He pulls out to edit I want Him to see me trying my hardest. I don' t want Him to have to edit out clips that say, "Look - there he was sloughing off, and he could have done better there, and he wasn' t trying his hardest." Christianity has freed me up because I don't have to worry when I fail. I don't have to worry about what the media writes about me when I get killed in a game. Or I don't have to worry about if I get hurt. I don't have to worry about what tomorrow brings, because all tomorrow brings is me, and God, and me doing my best with the talent He's given me. That's all related to athletics. That's all in the chain of priorities, because if I go home and say "All I care about is my pitching," then I don't spend time with my wife or my two-year-old. [If I was like that] I might slough off people for autographs or be a jerk or not try to relate to my teammates. I could be real narrow-minded and think about "just me and God," but I'm not. But when it relates to sports and 路 my working out and how I

HERSHISER: I'd encourage everyone to get involved with Christian groups and their other Christian friends, and I'd tell them, "Don't be afraid to hang around them." It's amazing how you can be strengthened by hanging around with people who believe what you believe, instead of hanging around with people who don't really believe it, but it's cool to hang around them. (Hershiser laughs.) There are those people who are so likable that you want to do that. I don't want to mention names, but there are so-called guys on our team that are cool to hang around with. They might not be doing the right things ... but a lot of people [hang around with people like that because they) think Christians don't have fun. That's the stupidest, craziest statement I've ever heard. I was a non-Christian for 21 years, but the last 7 years since I became a Christian have been the best of my life. I've had more fun . SL: How do you have fun as a Christian? What's the difference between having fun now and having fun then?

'I learned

it was a spiritual walk, not a spiritual run.'

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HERSHISER: The Bible teaches that sin has temporary fun to it. We wouldn't be attracted to sin if there wasn't some good feeling about it. But it's the repercussions that are bad, and that's why God 路 has placed it as sin and something that's out of His will. But as a Christian, you go out and have fun and there are no repercussions to it. What's fun as a Christian? LIFE! Having your son run up to you and say "DaDa, I love you," and you didn't have to tell him to say it. The simplest things become the most fun things. SL: Since you became a Christian, has there been a time that you can point to when God began to make changes in your life, where you k new defim"tely that God had a plan and a purpose? HERSHISER: There was a big turning point in my life that turned my life around and helped me realize that "I'm really going to have to be dedicated and think of God on a daily and hourly basis." I was the hottest thing in AA baseball at the beginning of the 1981 season, and everyone said I was going to be the next pitcher to hit the big leagues. I broke camp with the San Antonio

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Dodgers out of spring training. I had a 0.60 ERA (earned run average) going into June. Everybody thought the Dodgers would call me up to the big leagues. I got caught up in the scouting reports, what I read in the papers and the phone calls from the Dodgers. I stopped praying. And I stopped listening to God. I started going out with the guys and not really having a focus on what I was supposed to be doing. And I stopped doing the things that got me that 0.60 ERA. Things like that peace of mind that I had when I went to the mound - that [turned to a) focus on baseball. I started worrying about the big leagues and my future. "Oh, I can't wait to get to the big leagues! Just a few more outings, and I'll be there! Oh, this is going to be fun!" We went into Midland and El Paso (Texas) and I got bombed. My ERA went from 0.60 to 8.6 in three outings, and I gave up 24 earned runs without getting an out! It was like God had just come down from heaven and hit me over the head and said, "You dummy. Remember Who got you here. Remember what's going on here. Remember where your ability came from." I didn't get to the big leagues until two years later, in 1983. But I really believe if God had allowed me to get to the big leagues at that moment, I would have forgotten completely about Him. I would have started thinking Ore/ Hershiser is the one who got me here.

HERSHISER: I think the fans expect the wrong kind of thing out of athletes. I think they have been conditioned, in a way, to respond by the way the m·edia writes, the way the media searches for a story, by the action the athlete makes on the field, and then by the athlete justifying it by saying "I'm just being competitive. I got so intense, and I was uncontrollable and that's the reason I did that." Now the fan thinks that to want to win and to be competitive you must be like that athlete. There are other ways of competing in a better and different way. But that is how a fan or youngster becomes programmed to be competitive.

'The more mature you are, the shorter those breakdowns are.'

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SL: So were you able to turn it around and salvage your season? HERSHISER: Yeah. I got a promotion to AAA the next year, and I continued to work hard. I really learned [my Christian life) was a spiritual walk, not a spiritual run. You don't worry about making huge steps or huge accomplishments. Just keep working, and things will come your way. Really, that incident woke me up to the fact that I needed to be with God and think about Him on a daily basis, and I was amazed at how I could be swayed very quickly in a matter of a week, in a matter of three days - even one day.

SL: If someone were to write a book about your persona/life, what would the title be? HERSHISER: TRY IT! I've always been a try-it type person. Now I've got a few rules and boundaries regarding what I'll try. When I ran across Butch Wickensheimer, who led me to the Lord, he was a Christian who liked people and not for what he could get in return. I got to know Butch because I wanted to try it [Christianity). It was something he had, and I didn't. I was kind of jealous. I thought I had everything before I accepted the Lord. Then I ran into this guy who told me that I didn't. I went to Christian meetings with him and read the Bible just to find something to prove it wrong so I didn't have to choose it. So one day after being with Butch and figuring out that Butch can't do it for me [accept J esus Christ as Savior), and my parents can't do it for me - I've got to do it - I said, "God, I don't know everything about You, but I've learned that I'm a sinner. I've learned that I can't go to heaven without Your Son Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made. I want that, and I accept that into my life." From that little prayer on, I've been a Christian, and I know it. No bangs, no whistles, no fireworks. SL: You'll face criticism until you've proven yourself this year. The inner part of Ore/ - does he feel hurt? Is there some feeling of having disappointed someone, or is there a realization that, '1 did the best I could. That's behind me. L et's look forward . .. "? HERSHISER: I feel helpless at times because there's no way I can convince the world and the press that I had a successful '86. That's because of how the world judges success. That's a helpless feeling. How I get peace is from knowing I did the best I could. I played on a tough team, and we had a tough year, and yet I had a successful '86. I tried my hardest. · , · It's a lot easier to write about negatives than it is to write about positives. But let's face it: Baseball's a negative sport! A guy gets paid $1,000,000 a year to fail 7 times out of I0, and Hall of Fame pitchers are barely above .500!

SL: Do you limit your aggressiveness? Where do you draw the fin e line between living out Christian ideals and expressing a natural inclination like anger? . HERSHISER: I get angry. I get frustrated. But on the field I let the rules of the game draw the line. Do you pitch somebody inside or do you knock somebody off the plate when you're a Christian? Sure, but you do it within the rules of the game. We're all going to break down and get angry and frustrated. But I think the more mature you are, the shorter those breakdowns are. SL: Are sports fans wrong to expect certain violelll attitudes? Ha ve they been injluenced by the "competitive" athlete who breaks equipment and knocks over the lockers, all in the name of competitiveness? Are the sports fans conditioned, and is that the wrong k ind of conditioning?

Baseball may be a negative sport, but Orel Her• shiser is one positive guy! SECOND LOOK 7


ASTAFF REPORT

All was not quiet on the western front. To the Germans planning the Olympics at Munich in the summer of 1972, the spectacle was to be an Ode to J oy. But for the Americans who competed, the ode became odious and the j oy jaded as co ntrov ersy and tragedy marred the A merfcan Olympic team's efforls. Track and field, swimming and wrestling were clouded in controversy. Lots of meffle in the medals, you might say. Yet it was the basketball court that provided what some historians have called one of the greatest controversies in the history of international sports.

SEPTEMBER MORN' "We tra veled halfway around the world to find ourselves again .. . September Mom' We danced ullfil the night became a brand new day ... " - Neil Diamond in September Mom

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N A GOLD MEDAL basketball game that tiptoed into the wee hours of Sunday, Sept. I0, 1972 (the championship began at II :45 p.m . European time Saturday in order to accommodate American television), Soviets and Americans battled for supremacy on the hardcourt. While the Americans struggled to find themselves, the U.S.S.R. scored first, led 26-2 1 at the half and were eight points ahead with about six minutes left in the game. The United States steadily narrowed the gap, and with only six seconds to go, trailed by a single point, 49-48.

Halfway around the world - Munich, West Germany to be exact - the team was defending it's seven straig ht Olympic titles (a streak that began in 1936 in Berlin). Americans had won 62 consecutive games in Olympic competition. But the U.S. Olympic team had not met the Soviet Union since 1964,

The Soviets had this American shot covered from top to bottom.

when it soundly defeated the Soviets 73-59 in the championship. In this title game, with the Soviets in possession of the ball and only six ticks rema1111ng, the America n chances for victory looked bleak. But suddenly Soviet star Alexand r Belov mishandled the ball, mistakenly throwing it to American Doug Collins. Collins (now coach of the Chicago Bulls) was intentionally fouled as he raced toward the basket. He calmly sank two free throws with three seconds to go that put the U.S. ahead for the first time in the game, 50-49. The Soviets' hasty inbound

pass was deflected, and spectators rushed onto the court, thinking the game was over. In the confusion, officials felt the Soviets had been interfered with and gave them a second chance, but with the same result - no score. But strange things happened quickly. Ahh, the midnight hour. In Germany, the best of times became the " wursf' of times. And somehow Neil Diamond's S eptember Mom' became a real September mourning for the Olympic basketball team. Great Britain's R. W. J ones, the secretary general of FIBA (International Amateur Bas-

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ketball Federation, the governing body), ran out of the stands, overruled the officials, and said that play had been started incorrectly with one second . He ordered three seconds placed on the clock. Technically, Jones had no right to interfere, but he ruled FIBA tightly, and no one dared question his authority. Both the official scorer and time keeper who conducted the game thought one second remained. The Soviets substituted a player who passed the ball the length of the floor. Belov, whose turnover had hurt the So viets moments earli er, pushed past American defenders Kevin Joyce and Jim Forbes, caught the pass and scored tu win the game fur the Soviets, 51-50. The United States protested vehemently. Jones appointed a Hungarian to preside over the protest committee. It was the Hungarian who stirred the international goulash, casting the deciding vote along with Polish and Cuban officials that favored the Russians (32). Representatives of Italy and Puerto Rico voted in favor of the United States to disallow Belov's basket. The United States' protest shot had drawn all iron. Even the closing curtain that was pulled that night was entirely iron. With the game decided by a vote, the Americans responded angrily. The United States team voted unanimously to refuse it's silver medals. Coach Hank Iba felt doubly robbed. At 2 a. m., while he was signing the official protest, his pocket was picked and he • lost $370.


REBOUNDING FROM DISAPPOINTMENT

Third, have a desire that things be made right and corrected. I got a letter years ago saying the silver medals were waiting for us, but I don't feel like we won the silver.

SECOND LOOK talked to former Philadelphia 76er Bobby J ones, one of the 12 players on the team, about the game.

SL: Are you still disappointed today? Jones: Sure, things like that

CONQUESTS AND CONTROVERSIES

SL: What do you remember about how you felt during that game? Jones: It was fru stra ting

1. What two sprinters missed their qualifying heats because of a coach's error, entering the stadium just as the starter's gun went off for their race?

knowing we had won the game, but wouldn't receive the gold medal. I realized it wouldn't change and that the situation was political.

2. What famous American miler fell in the 1500 meters, ruining his chances for Olympic gold?

SL: Describe those closing moments.

Jones: There were three different plays after Doug Collins put us ahead with two free throws. They inbounded the ball and got it to half court as we pressed them and time ran out. Then the officials felt that the Soviets had not been given a proper inbound opportunity and had the clock reset. They didn't score again. Finally, Mr. Jones of England again reset the clock, saying the clock had malfunctioned. The third time we had a three-quarter court press, and they threw the ball the length of the floor. O ur two guys fell down and they scored.

SL: What about your silver medal?

Jones: We never received those. They're supposed to be in some vault in Switzerland. But I don't discount that possibly some day we may get the gold medal, like Jim Thorpe whose medals were restored to him. I do care about that.

SL: What did you learn from the experience? Jones: It helped me know

that sports are political on an international level.

SL: What advice would you give others in dealing with difficult losses?

could turn your outlook on life sour. But the longer I am a Christian, the stronger my faith is, and the more I see God working in my life. The more trials I have, the more I see the Lord showing me that what He says is true - that we need to trust Him with all the details of our lives. •

3. Which group of American athletes had an important part of their equipment banned just prior to the Olympics, resulting in the first loss in this event in 16 consecutive Olympics? 4. Which American winner in the 800 meters wore his white golf cap on the victory stand, greatly embarrassing himself, and causing people to question if there was some political protest intended? 5. Which American swimmer was the youngest to win an Olympic swimming event, yet was disqualified because he had unk nowingly used a banned substance for his asthma?

Bobby Jones (top) contributed solid play In the '72 Olympics before turning professional. The Soviets (bottom) wildly celebrate the court's decision. ¡

6. Which two American sprinters were disqualified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for their disrespectful behavior on the victory stand, forcing the United States out of the 4 x 400 meter relay in which it was favored, because there weren't enough sprinters to field a team?

Jones: First, pray about it and ask God for His guidance. I wasn't a Christian at the time but I felt like I handled it [the disappointment] in a Christian way. The Lord tells us to cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for us. Second, thank God in advance, expecting something good to happen, and then thank Him afterwards for whatever happens.

7. What American swimmer won seven gold medals: four in individual races and three in relays?

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ANSWERS l. Ray Robinson and Eddie Hart; 2. Jim Ryun; 3. Pole vaulters poles were banned; 4. Dave Wattle; 5. Rick DeMent; 6. Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett; 7. Mark Spitz.

LISTS These American men made up the 1972 Olympic basketball team: I. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. II. 12. 13.

Kenneth Davis _ _ __ Doug Collins _ _ __ Tom Henderson _ __ Mike Bantam _ _ __ Bobby Jones _ _ __ Jim Forbes _ _ _ __ Jim Brewer _ _ _ __ Tommy Burleson _ _ _ Dwight Jones _ _ __ Tom McMillen _ __ Kevin Joyce _ __ _ Ed Ratleff _ _ _ __ John Brown _ _ __

Can you name the colleges they attended and their positions? l. Georgetown (Ky.) College, guard; 2. Illinois St., guard; 3. San Jacinto Junior College, guard; 4. St. Josephs (Philadelphia), forward; 5. Univ. N. Carolina, forward-center; 6. Univ. of Texas-EI Paso, forward; 7. Univ. Minnesota, center; 8. N. Carolina St., center; 9. Univ. Houston, center; 10. Univ. Maryland, forward; 11. Univ. S. Carolina, guard; 12. Cal State Long Beach, guardforward; 13. Univ. Missouri, forward.


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FEATURE

Bolden pursues golden opportunities

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OR MOST KIDS, growing up means dreaming. What youngster doesn't dream of hitting a home run in the World Series, or winning an Olympic gold medal or sinking the winning basket in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) basketball tournament? Even the few athletes who are fortunate enough to enjoy such moments speak of them in the "childhood dream" reference. As a child, Jeanette Bolden also had dreams, but of a different kind. While her friends fancied images of sports success, Jeanette dreamed of having a normal childhood. She dreamed of being able to run and play and not worry about dying. A severe asthmatic, Jeanette's childhood was marked by frequent hospital stays. "My memories are of waking up at 3 in the morning, unable to breathe, and of staying in the hospital 5 or 6 days at a time," she says. "Athletics were the farthest thing from my mind." But not now. An Olympic gold medal winner in 1984, Jeanette has overcome her life-threatening disease to become a world-class sprinter. Center stage in this victory is a faith that, she says, gives her the strength she needs. Jeanette talks a lot about strength - not the physical kind that produces athletic talent - but the power within that comes from God. Her favor-

ite Bible verse is Philippians 4: 13 ("I can do all things through Him who gives me strength"). Not just physical strength, but strength of will to keep training when perhaps she wants to give up. Or strength of character that helps her to follow through on promises she makes. And she talks repeatedly of the " peace of mind that comes from knowing my strength has a higher source." Beating asthma would seem easy to the uninitiated. After all, commercials tell us that relief is only seconds away. But Jeanette's form of asthma was so severe that on two different occasions it threatened her life. "I was sitting around with my friends one summer day," she says, recalling one such episode. "I was wheezing and it wasn't getting any better. My mother wanted to wait for my father to come home because he had her car, and she didn't know how to drive a stick shift. But finally she had to take me to the hospital. We made it, stripped gears and all. "The nurses had become pretty familiar with me, but they got really scared this time because I was turning blue. They rushed me right past the emergency room into emergency surgery for a trache-

BY JOHN CARVALHO

1984 Olympic sprinter Jeanette Bolden looks ahead to 1988. SECOND LOOK II


otomy (an artificial breathing hole created by cutting into the windpipe at the throat). But the medicine (given at the hospital] brought the attack under control before surgery." To help her learn to live with her asthma, Jeanette was placed in a home for asthmatic children when she was in the sixth grade. During her nine-month stay, she learned how to control the asthma attacks and how to cope with her disease. When she got out, she was ready to give sports a try. One of her childhood idols, Wilma Rudolph, inspired Jeanette. Wilma suffered from polio, double pneumonia and scarlet fever when she was very young. But she overcame these diseases and won three gold medals at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Now Jeanette is following in Wilma's footsteps, not only as an Olympic medalist, but as an example to young people. Jeanette has sponsored "Jeanette Bolden Track and Field Clinics for Asthmatics" and hopes to hold these clinics across the country. She also serves on the board of directors for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation.

1984 gold medal winners In the women's 4x 100 meter relay (1. to r.) : Alice Brown, Jeanette Bolden, Chandra Cheeseborough and Evelyn Ashford.

H

ER DEVELOPMENT as an athlete is as inspiring as Wilma Rudolph's. In friendly, "race-ya' -down-the-street" track events, Jeanette was able to beat her friends, "So I knew I had a little speed." One day, after taking her younger sister to Los Angeles' Campanella Park for track practice, Jeanette decided to stick around and join the team. "I had to hide my asthma medicine in my sock," she says, "because they would've kicked me off the team if they had seen it." Her Campanella Park buddies convinced their junior high school track coach to Jet Jeanette run. The year before he had refused. But this time around he relented, with stipulations: "I had to bring a letter from my parents and a letter from my doctor." Her talent blossomed. Only one year later, as a high school sophomore, Jeanette finished third in the I 00-yard dash at the California state high school championships. A year later she won the race. A flare-up of her asthma prevented her from repeating the win as a senior. In college, Jeanette didn't slow down. She took second in the NCAA meet as a senior at UCLA, after finishing ¡third the year before. She was also named to the 1980 United States Olympic team. Unlike most of her peers, though, she wasn't disappointed by the boycott. "In all modesty, I wasn't the type of athlete I am now," she says. "I wasn't that good. I knew I'd have another chance, and that I'd get better." The wait was worth it, as her second chance proved a golden opportunity. Jeanette teamed with Alice Brown, Evelyn Ashford and Chandra Cheeseborough to win the gold medal in the 4x 100-meter relay. For Jeanette, the gold medal was a much-needed lift. She was bitterly disappointed with her fourthplace finish in the 100-meter dash, having fallen out of the top three late in the race. "I couldn't get any

closer to a medal spot than I was," she says. But Jeanette couldn't stay down for long. Several of her World Class Track Club teammates - AI and Jackie Joyner, Valerie Brisco-Hooks, Greg Foster, Florence Griffiths and Alice Brown - were also on the Olympic team. Many of them are also fellow believers in Christ, and they encouraged Jeanette. "I felt a lot of love and affection," she says. "We all grew up together and trained together. It was great to see my teammates accomplish their goals." Jeanette is shooting to make her third Olympic team. "I haven't accomplished all the things I set out to do," she says. "I want to be the world record-holder in the 100-meter dash - to be known as the fastest woman in the world. And I want to win a gold medal in the I 00-meter dash in 1988." Currently Jeanette is ranked sixth in the world at I 00-meters, but she believes she can get better. And a victory in the 60-yard dash at last year's national indoor championship proves she can put together a winning race. Motivation, even after 10 years of training, is no problem. " I enjoy the thrill of competition," she says. "When you get on the line, you feel like you're the best. And accomplishing a goal feels good." That discipline helps Jeanette in her work as the young adult director for her church in Los Angeles. "In track, I get up, I go to practice and I work out until I'm finished. I can't quit in the middle," she says. " It's the same on church projects. I know I have to be disciplined to complete a project." J eanette's Christian roots and love for church involvement were grounded early in life through her mother's influence. "My mother was a strong Christian," Jeanette says. "She worked nights, she helped at school activities during the day, she went to school herself to get a liberal arts degree, she was always running me to the hospital, and she took care of our family, yet she would never complain about being tired." Mama Bolden also made sure her kids went to church. Even now Jeanette has fond memories of her childhood church experience, "especially the Bible stories and lunch." Lunch? " We had a deal: if we went to church, Mom would take us to lunch. I looked forward to it every week." Blue plate specials aside, church is still a nourishing experience for J eanette. She hasn't neglected building herself spiritually. She knows firsthand that the human body can fail, but that Christ provides the strength that will never let her down. There may be disappointments along the way, but with God providing the inner strength, she can do anything Christ wants her to do. •

John Carvalho is a free-lance writer in Loveland,

co.

(Editor's note: Jeanette Bolden takes a round-theclock medicine called Proventil for her asthma. Produced by the Schering Corp., it is an approved drug for Olympic and international competition.) SECOND LOOK 12


CAMPBELL'S ABC'SOF

HITTING

Y

OU MIGHT SAY Bob Campbell knows a little bit about softball. This marks "only" his 30th year of playing the game in which he has been a three-time allAmerican. For five years he coached a boys 18-and-under slow pitch team (featuring Dodgers' outfi elde r Mike Marshall) that won two national tournaments. And he's spent the last I0 years representing the DeBeer baseball and softball company, giving clinics across the country. With that experience, what words of wisdom does Bob have for the amateur slow pitch player? Enough for a book, so we will emphasize some hitting pointers. " In slow pitch softball, two things are immediately important: good bat speed and good technique. If you can combine bat speed ami good technique, that's when you become a proficient hitter. "One of the bigger problems I see is that a lot of people are using bats that are too heavy for them and they can't achieve good bat speed. Any time a bat feels like it's draggi ng in your hand as you're swinging, you're using a bat that's too heavy. " As for technique, you need to develop a fast, fluid, smooth swing. To do that, you have to develop the proper upper and lower body mechanics." In Bob's 3-hour clinics, he spends much time developing good technique. Then he wraps up with three bad habits every softball player doesn't want to develop: A. Don't overstride. Trying to muscle or overpower the ball can cause a hitter to do this. When a player overstrides, he or she locks the hips, and no hi p rotation means no power.

TRAINING TIPS Tips from Bob Campbell on hitting and Jenna . . Johnson on swzmmzng. watch the ball all the way to contact. Just before they swing they start to look into the area where they're going to hit the ball and they never hit the ball solidly. After you make contact, proof that you were watching the ball is that your chin goes from the front (lead) shoulder to the back shoulder. Then you glance up. It's almost like a follow-through. •

FLOAT LIKE A

BUTTERFLY

J

ENN A JOHN SO N began swimming seriously at age 12, and before she turned 17 she had won three Olympic medals: a silver in the 100-meter butterfly, a gold in the 400-meter freestyle relay and a gold in the 400-meter medley relay. Beginning her junior year at Stanford this fall, Johnson is looking forward to tryouts for the 1988 Olympic team. Nutrition,· conditioning and attitude are three significant areas to consider in competitive swimming, and Jenna has some suggestions for championship swimming hopefuls. • Nutrition: " I eat a lot of carbohydrates," J ohnson says. " I avoid fats most of the time. I don't eat red meat very often and I try to avoid sugar. It gives you a high and then a low. If you eat it before a

Bob Campbell (above), the King of Swing, is one top SwingMaster. Stanford's Jenna Johnson sets her sights on more Olympic gold.

B. Don't lunge or reach for the ball. In slow pitch you've got to wait until the ball gets to the plate. Many players become over-anxious. This will cause a player to swing early. It throws the hitter onto his toes and off balance. Technique breaks down, which usually results in an easy out. C. Don't take your eye off the ball. Most players don't

SECOND LOOK

13

competition, you never know when the low is going to come. I also drink a lot of water before and during competition." She emphasizes the importance, too, of maintaining a diet all of the time and not just a few weeks before a meet. • Conditioning: "There are a lot of things involved in conditioning and every coach has a different philosophy," Johnson says. Her Stanford program includes working out with weights three times a week, doing aerobic exercises and practicing swimming about 25 hours per week. Some swimmers include running in thei r training programs. • Attitude: What kind of character qualities does it take to be a competitive swimmer? "You have to be self-motivated," J ohnson advises. "I see a lot of kids who have been pushed by their parents at such a young age that by the time they graduate from high school they get burned out. Then they miss out on the college years, the really fun part of swimming. They need to enjoy it. It's a lot of work, but you still have to have fun or else you're just not going to make it. "You need to be the type of person who will be dedicated to something. You can't go halfway. You have to pretty much do it [swim) all the time." To get the adrenaline pumping before a meet, Johnson gets an encouraging word or two from her coach, goes through the race in her mind and listens to upbeat "Rocky-type" music (a couple of her favorite artists are Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith). J ohnson's relationship with God also has made a difference in her attitude and her selfworth. "No matter how I do, God still loves me. I look at swimming as a temporary thing, as a gift God gave me and something I can use for Him," she says. "And even though I have those go ld medals, swimming is not the ultimate thing in my life." • - By Sara A nderson


SECOND LOOK 14


FEATURE Today he lives in a modest condominium in the HAT'S IT TAKE to be a master and a legend? Los Angeles area and drives a family-style AmeriDepends on the name of your can-made car. Awards from groups such as the Norwalk mayor's prayer breakfast and local youth game. Tennis players qualify for the basketball leagues receive as much prominence on Master's Tour (Stan Smith, Rod his office shelves as his numerous Man of the Year Laver and company) at a "sedentary" 35! Organ- and Coach of the Year honors. Lining the walls izers have added the Grand Masters for 45-year (and hiding nearly every inch of wallcovering) are olds and up. Who knows, maybe someday there pictures of his many UCLA teams, a visible recould be the Great Grand Masters for granddad at minder that his relationships with his players are 55 and the Great Great Grand Masters for great important to him now just as they were during the glory years. He downplays his own involvement, granddad at 65! To enter the "vintage classics" on golrs senior giving the players credit for his high school coachcircuit a golfer must be at least 50. There are ing record of 218-42 (an .839 winning percentage) swimming masters, track and field masters, skiing and the 620 wins on the college level. masters - even a masters olympics in the offing. Legendary accomplishments indeed, a legacy of There's the Cracker Jack Old-timers Game for winning with honor and character, but not a legend former major leaguers (with organizers hoping any in his own eyes. year now for Phil Niekro and Pete Rose) and pro "I don't consider myself a legend in any way. basketball's Legends Game. Seems like there's no I'm proud of the things that happened," said agreement on what a master and a legend really Wooden. "But I'm as proud of some teams that are. didn't win [national] championships. My first year But in the world of college basketball, everyone at UCLA (1948) they [the pollsters] picked us to can agree that one name stands out as a master and finish last in the conference. We won 22 games legend - the incomparable John Robert Wooden and the [conference] championship." - the only man elected to the Basketball Hall of Success means a lot to Wooden, but he doesn't Fame as both a player and a coach. measure success by typical standards, like accumConsider these statistics: He was a three-time all- ulating material possessions or attaining power and America guard while at Purdue, the college player prestige. of the year in 1932 when he led his team to a 17-1 "Success is not necessarily beating an opponent record and the national championship, and coach and scoring more points than they do. I consider it uf I0 national championship teams at UCLA, in- a success that almost all my players graduated and cluding a remarkable seven in a row (1967-73). got degrees and that most are doing well in their The things that generally are overlooked about chosen career areas. I'm more proud of that than John Wooden would fill a biography for most in- the fact that we outscored opponents," Wooden dividuals ... selected to the Indiana all-state high continued. "Would I feel the same way if I had school basketball squad three years ... captain of the never won those championships? Would I be the team at Purdue... set the Big 10 conference scoring same person? I don't know. record in 1932 (first time ever for a guard) ... "I'm most disappointed in players who didn't get unanimous college all-American .. . a star in semi- degre~s, who didn't play hard or who got involved pro ball who once made 138 straight free throws in something unfortunate. Only the individual can during game competition ... a Hoosier of Hoosiers validate success. All are not equal, but all have whose Martinsville High School team reached the equal opportunity to make the effort. That's what state finals his sophomore, junior and senior years, really matters in the long run. If you're good enough, you'll eventually outscore the other team. I winning the title during his junior year. Somewhat adequate ingredients to become a didn't want our teams to be better than someone legend. Enough to satisfy at least the average hoops else. I wanted them to be the best they could be." fan. After winning six straight national championBut not according to him. Ever gracious in vic- -ships, Wooden was co-honored in 1972 along with tory, humble in character and actions, he'd have Billie Jean King as Sport's Illustrated's Man and you believe he's just the same old Johnny Wooden Woman of the Year, edging out such luminaries as who once taught high school English and was as- Mark Spitz (winner of seven Olympic gold signed as head coach in football, basketball, base- medals), Wilt Chamberlain (who led the Lakers to ball and track while supervising the total physical the National Basketball Association title, becoming education curriculum for grades one through twelve the all-time leading rebounder and scorer), and and serving as the athletic director. Bobby Fischer (who became the first American to win the world chess title). Three years later he retired, and 7000 wellwishers paid $5 each to attend his retirement party at Pauley Pavilion the day before the opening of the 1975-76 basketball practice sessions. Local

BY KAREN RUDOLPH

., DROLLINGER

SECOND LOOK IS


fans, like Mayor Tom Bradley and entertainer Bob Hope, paid tribute, and Wooden received a Mercedes-Benz car, and a watch, tie clip and cuff links with I0 diamonds each in honor of UCLA's 10 national championships. New coach Gene Bartow looked on with interest. " I figure this nostalgia for Coach Wooden will pass in about a year," he said at the time, "as long as UCLA keeps winning. But they love him here, don' t they?" Empty words of prophecy? Or just wishful thinking? Bartow lasted two seasons, winning 52 games and making the Final Four, but it wasn't enough for UCLA fans, who were conditioned to winning it all. Coaches Gary Cunningham, Larry Brown, Larry Farmer and Walt Hazzard also have followed the Wooden era, with Brown taking the Bruins to the Final Four in 1980.

WOODEN'S WISE WORDS WOODEN, who's currently working on a book of poetry, has collected many proverbs and sayings. Even today he'll pull from his wallet many of his favorite clippings. Here are a few of them:

Wooden celebrates with exuberant players and fans following UCLA's first national championship In 1964.

W

OODEN, the one-time English professor, stressed academics to his young men, and today likes the NCAA's tougher entrance and eligibility standards. "For every person they hurt, they'll help several," he said. "I never agreed with the freshman rule [that allowed freshmen eligibility in 1972]. Like everything else in society, it was because of money. Out of high school you need a good year to adjust, particularly socially. You can cut class, and there's no one to make you go to class. The academic adjustment, especially at UCLA, is tough. Athletics is the least adjustment of all. I'd recommend no freshmen teams - only practice and no games." Wooden's conversation is peppered with proverbs, wise sayings and clever phrases with positive twists, showing the influence of his father, who read to the Wooden family extensively in the evenings from poetry books and the Bible. He quotes from Abraham Lincoln ("There is nothing stronger than gentleness;" "You do not help a man permanently by doing for him what he can do for himself') to describe his own dad, who would always discipline in a gentle, yet firm, way. That fatherly influence causes Wooden to relate character and reputation with winning. "Character will make you more consistent. Without character, regardless of ability, you will have more highs and lows. I never wanted to create an emotional peak. for our teams, because for every artificial peak you create, there's a valley," commented Wooden. "Character gives you the avenue necessary for success in whatever field you choose - in law, medicine, business or whatever. "If our aim in basketball was winning, I don't think we would have won all the championships we did. Winning comes as a result of something else -character. Reputation and character always need to be good, but you must always be more concerned with what you ARE than what others think you are." Wooden has deeply enjoyed his involvement in sports, particularly the teaching and building of relationships. He commented that he hears regularly from his former players, with phone calls from more

'"Wnning comes as a result of character.'

-

SECOND LOOK

16

• "Don't mistake activity for achievement." • "A leader is interested in finding the best way - not in having his own way." • "Failure is not fatal, but failure to change may be." • "I will get ready and then, perhaps, my chance will come." • "Talent is God-given, be humble; fame is man-given, be thankful; conceit is self-given, be careful." • "There is no progress without change, but not all change is progress." • "You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence." - Abraham Lincoln • "You do not help a man permanently by doing for him what he can do for himself." -Abraham Lincoln • "After practice, the real practice of selfdiscipline begins." than a few each week. "Athletics is in a good position to build up character and also tear it (!own," he said. " But parents can't expect teachers to do what they're not doing at home. The coach is important in developing character but not nearly as important as the home. I used to tell my players after practice that now the real practice and self-discipline would begin." Wooden today remains very active, although in the last year he has had to deal with the difficulty of adjusting to the death of his wife, Nell. He said she influenced him more than anyone and was respon.sible for the fact that he finished college. She supported him during the rough times, never wanting much. Wooden displays a yellow legal pad full of speaking engagements and dinner banquets. He seems content, traveling and also attending UCLA basketball games when he's home. While he was coaching at UCLA, he walked 5 miles daily. He has had to cut down because of an arthroscopic knee surgery, so now he regularly walks a mere 4\1 miles. He pulls out another quote. "Real happiness cannot be attained by things that can be taken away from you." His life has been lived by that motto, which he says the Bible states this way in Matthew 6:33: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." "All things" would include that inner peace and happiness. Wooden wisdom - 'wooden' he know? •


FOR ATHLETES

The final score doesn't always indicate who is the real winner. How can that be? What makes a winner?

AND THE REAL WINNER IS. • •

1 1

BYWESNEAL Wes Neal is a respected writer who analyzes sports and applies biblical principles. Currently living in Branson, Mo., Wes is the author ofTh e Handbook on Athletic Perfection. A regular contributor to Second Look magazine, Wes looks at the issue of allitude in athletic performance.

T

ENNIS was a new sport for me and this was my first tournament. What an experience it was! My more seasoned opponent had me sweating on every square inch of the court trying desperately to return his drop shots, forehand smashes and backhand slices. My wife sat on the sideline bench encouraging me. After I missed a shot and was walking slowly back to the baseline, she asked, "Honey, are you winning?" Her question struck me funny at the time because she knew I had lost the first set 0-6 and was down in this s.et 0-5. But if her question hit my funny bone, my answer must have had my opponent rolling in laughter on the court. "Yes," I said with some deliberate thought, " I'm winning. I really am winning." The fact that I was about to be cremated by his serve didn't change my outlook. I was clearly outclassed, but I wasn't intimidated. He was blowing me out in the score, but I was winning. Let me explain what I mean.

For several years I had thought like most people .:.._ that winning was simply decided on the scoreboard. The score was the bottom line of sports competition. It was how an athletic performance was measured. It had never occurred to me that there might be a different bottom line to measure our performance. But in reading the Bible one day, I came across something Jesus did in the temple that helped me see winning and losing in a new light.

Jesus had been sitting in the treasury area of the temple watching people drop off their offerings into the collector. It was business as usual, nothing out of the ordinary. Then came a little ol' widow lady, as poor as anybody in the land. She stopped in front of the "collection plate," dug deep into her bag and found two thin copper coins, the very minimum allowed for a temple offering. But they were all she had. J esus watched as she gladly released them from her hand

SECOND LOOK 17

into the collector. Then while she was walking away, Jesus called his men over, pointed out the lady to them and said, " I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth but she out of her poverty put in everything - all she had to live on (Mark 12:43-44)." Jesus was encouraged and praised her - not for how much the woman gave in relation to how much the others gave - but for how much she gave in relation to what she had to give. It was her effort to give in order to honor God that Jesus praised. So while I walked back to the baseline to receive my opponent's next bullet, I was concentrating on my effort to honor God more than I was on the impending result. And that concentration kept me giving my best while my natural tendency would have been to give a half-hearted attempt since 1 was "already beat." I since have come to understand that winning is giving to God all that I am - in my character, in my efforts and in my thought life. I totally release everything and rely on the Holy Spirit's power in order to represent Jesus in each situation I face. That's how I can honor God! Losing is when I fail to do that, not when I fail in the score! It's all a matter of which bottom line • I use to measure success!


SECOND LOOK 18


FEATURE

An athlete's ultimate success or failure may be determined by milliseconds. In business, success or failure may rest on the outcome ofa single project. In school a final exam can be the determining factor. In team sports, the difference between victory and failure may be only a few inches. UCCESS AND FAILURE. Wegenerally think of them as opposites, but they're not really that far apart. Success is such a fragile thing, and failure seems so easy. How can we keep from making a failure of life itself, and how can we make sure we're really on the right track to success? Here are five principles to help you in your pursuit of ultimate success:

1. GOD'S IDEA OF SUCCESS IS DIFFERENT FROM MAN'S. TRUE SUCCESS may not be what you think. It cannot be expressed in terms of games won, records set, goals achieved, money earned or recognition gained. True success in the biblical sense invariably has to do with inward character qualities. Jesus SECOND LOOK

19

described the genuinely successful person in Matthew 5:3-10, the passage we know as the beatitudes. He characterized the successful person as one who is humble, repentant, gentle, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peaceful and persecuted. That's quite a different picture from our normal concept of success, isn't it? Yet this world's idea of success is temporary and unfulfilling, as those who have attained it freely testify. After he built the world's largest automobile manufacturing company, Henry Ford said he was happier in the days when he worked as a mechanic. Frequently people measure the amount of their success by their wealth. But from a biblical standpoint, wealth is not related to how much you possess. True wealth is measured by how contented you are with what you have. The truly rich person is not the one who has the most, but the one who desires the least. Now think about that!

2. GOD WANTS US TO SUCCEED. IT MAY SURPRISE YOU to realize that God desires success for us. But Scripture is clear - God wants us to prosper. Psalm l says of the man who ~alks in the way of the Lord, "In whatever he does, he prospers (verse 3)." God doesn't make mistakes and He doesn't cause failure. If we live according to His plans for us, we simply cannot fail. All of us step out of God's will and experience failures. But the good news is that God is able to take even our failures and use them for our ultimate success. That's what happened to Moses. He knew God had called him to deliver the Israelites from Egypt.

BY JOHNMACARTHUR,JR.


But he went about it in his own way - the wrong way - and killed a man. He was forced to flee into the desert, where he spent 40 years hiding. He seemed like (and must have felt like) a monumental failure. But God used those 40 years in the desert to train Moses how to do the work of the Lord according to His plan. When Moses left the desert, he was better equipped to deliver Israel than he ever could have been before. God used even Moses' failure to make him a success.

as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but 1 buffet my body and make it my sla ve, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. - I Corinthians 9:24-27 He's talking about the kind of absolute commitment that is necessary in every endeavor, from sports to spiritual service. It's the same kind of dedication that leads football players to begin working out in the heat of summer; the same determination that leads endurance athletes to train ten hours a day; the same kind of commitment God requires of all of us who seek to serve Him.

3. GOD OFFERS APLAN FOR SUCCESS. GOD'S OFFER for success was clearly outlined for Joshua as he took over leadership of Israel from Moses: "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success (Joshua 1:8). " God's plan for success? Simply this: know God's Word, meditate on it and obey it. That doesn't require a seminary degree; Joshua didn't have one and you probably don't either. Start where you are, obey what you know and study and meditate to learn more. If that becomes your lifelong pattern, you are guaranteed success. When a person learns obedience to God, success is inevitable.

5. WHO YOU ARE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

4. SUCCESS REQUIRES DEEP COMMITMENT. HERE'S A PRINCIPLE that applies to every area of life: If you' re going to be successful, you must be committed. The apostle Paul saw athletics as a picture of life itself. He approached his life and service to God like athletic training: Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, GENERALLY SPEAKING, the Bible's definition of true success does not depend on who you know: But in one very important regard, it is important to know the right Person. The basis for all true success is a personal faith in J esus Christ. Here's how you can get to know Him:

Awhor and Bible teacher John MacA rtl111r is pastor of Grace Community Church in Southern California. He represell/s five successive generations ofpastors in his family. Dr. MacArthur is also presidem of The Masters College and The Masters Seminary in Newhall, Calif Over six million of his audio cassel/e tapes have been distribwed worldwide.

WORLDLY WISDOM tells us that if you wa nt to get something or go somewhere, success depends on who you know. If you want to climb the ladder of success, you' re told to get next to the people who have infl uence, try to manipulate them, shuffie circumstances and use influential people to pull you to the top. Playing politics is often seen as the only way to reach places of prominence and glory in this world. Jesus condemned the religious leaders of His day who were caught up in that kind of political powerplaying. He taught His disciples, '1t shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant (Matthew 20:26-27). " By divine standards, it's not who you know but who you are that determines real success. Humble service - not political maneuvering - is the path to true greatness. Success is a worthy goal, but only when we seek the right kind, and only when we pursue it according to God's plan. If your motive is money, fame or personal glory, you're not headed for success, you're headed for disappointment - even if you attain what you're seeking. But if the deepest desire of your heart is to glorify God, you're headed for • real success.

cross in our place for our sins and then His resurrection into new life. In John 11 :25-26 J esus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live, even if he dies; and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." So then true success - success for all eternity Faith in Christ begins with a deep realization - comes from placing one's faith in Jesus of your inability to be successful in achieving Christ and receiving Him as Savior and Lord. God's standard of perfection. Will you ask J esus Christ into your heart right now? You can by faith. Your faith can be We are told in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus Himself is the author and perfecter of salvation. If we can be of help to expressed through a prayer such as the followThat is to say that if we believe and receive you regarding your rela- ing: Jesus Christ - who is our perfecter - then tionship with Christ, write "Lord Jesus, I confess that I am not able to God sees us as acceptable and perfect in His us here at Second Look, live a perfect life. I need You to forgive me of my sight. Why? Not because of our own good deeds Grand Rapids, MI 49555. sin and make me the person You created me to or works, but because of J esus' death on the be. Thank You for coming into my life. Amen."

IS SUCCESS

AMATTER OF WHO YOU KNOW?

SECOND LOOK

20


BIBLE STUDY

LET'S TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT

SUCCESS In the preceding article, we examined the meaning of true success. God's idea of success is different from man's idea of success. Who you are is more important than what you've done. Now look at Psalm 1 and answer the following questions. I.

Do you desire to be successful in life?

2.

According to the preceding article on the measure of success, what characteristic needs to be the deepest desire of your heart in order to attain success? - - -- - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -

3.

According to Psalm I: 1, there are three types of people that we should avoid. Can you name them?

Yes

No

1. ---------------------------- -------------------------- ------ -

4.

2. ---------------------------------------------------------------3. --------------------- ---------------------------- ----------What do you think the writer of Psalm I is trying to tell us regarding the progression of the three phrases, "Walk," "Stand" and "Sit?" How does that relate to your choice of friends? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

5.

Psalm I :2 states a contrasting influence in our lives. What is the contrasting influence and what does the verse say should be our commitment to it?

6.

Psalm I :3 tells us, through the analogy of the tree, about the result of pursuing the right influence. How does that analogy relate to success in your life? ------ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - ---- - - - - -

7.

Look up Matthew 5:6 and Matthew 6:33. Is success achieved by pursuing success?

Yes

No

Accordingly, what goal should you pursue to assure yourself of true succes_s? 8.

According to Joshua I :8, why should you meditate on the Word of God? --- - -- -- -- --- - - -

9.

According to Psalm I :4-6, what eventually happens to the types of people mentioned in Psalm 1:1?

10. On a scale of 1 to 10, how high a priority have you given to meditating on God's Word? lowest 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 I0 highest According to the Bible promises of Psalm 1 and Joshua 1:8, what should be your priority in meditating on God's Word? lowest I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 highest

SECOND LOOK

21


1.

15.

Which of these coaches did not have at least 100 NFL victories in his career? A. George Allen B. Vince Lombardi C. John Madden D. Weeb Ewbank

7•

2.

Who was the fi"rst player to be named MVP in two Super Bowls?

3.

Which NBA player has won the MVP award the most times? A. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar B. Wilt Chamberlain C. Bill Russell D. Larry Bird

Who holds the NFL record for most touchdowns in a career with 126? A. Gale Sayers B. Lenny Moore C. Jim Brown D. John Riggins

16.

The coach and nine members of the 1980 gold medal winning ice hockey team were from the same college team. Name the college team.

17.

How many gold medals did Eric Heiden win in the 1980 Olympics?

18.

How many gold medals did Mark Spitz win in the 1972 Olympics?

4.

Which of these players was not a member of an NCAA championship team? A. Magic Johnson B. Marques Johnson C. Larry Bird D. Rodney McCray

19.

In which division did Sugar Ray Leonard win a gold medal during the 1976 Olympics?

20.

5.

Who led the 1976 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team in scoring with a 19.3 average? A. Phil Ford B. Mitch Kupchak C. Adrian Dantley D. Walter Davis

Which of these members of the Hall of Fame was the first player to score over 2000 points in an NBA season? A. Elgin Baylor B. Jerry West C. Oscar Robinson D. Wilt Chamberlain

6.

Who won both the NBA Rookie of the Year award and MVP award in 1960?

7.

Who won both the NBA Rookie of the Year award and MVP award in .1969?

8.

Who won both the American League Rookie of the Year and MVP award in 1975?

9. What

American League team last won consecutive World Championships?

10.

What National League team last won consecutive World Championships?

BY RICK YORK

11.

13.

Who was the last pitcher to win three games in one World Series? A. Bob Gibson B. Mickey Lolich C. Sandy Koufax D. Catfish Hunter

Who was th e last pitcher to win 20 games in four consecutive seasons? A. Jim Palmer B. Tom Seaver C. Steve Carlton D. Catfish Hunter

12.

14.

Who is the only pitcher Who holds the NFL to win seven consecutive record for most touchdowns · in a season with 24? World Series games? A. Bob Gibson A. Gale Sayers B. Whitey Ford B. 0. J. Simpson C. Sandy Koufax C. John Riggins D. Catfish Hunter D. Lenny Moore SECOND LOOK

22

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For more information on The Master's College, please check the reader information card box, "Master's College." Indicate your area of special interest. 路

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HOW MANY

TIMES DO

YOU HAVE TO WIN TO BE A SUCCESS?

Never, once, often or continually. Each of these answers is in part true! The demands and expectations for success are most often wrapped up in victory. However, success might need to be defined in other terms. Second Look Television and Magazine address a variety of issues like success and failure with a fresh approach to answering life's tough questions.

TAKE ASECOND LOOK AT LIFE THROUGH THE EYES OF SPORTS.

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