A TRADE THAT MADE HEADLINES
When you are a baseball pitcher, there are a lot of different ways to get your name in the headlines. You can pitch a no-hitter, have a perfect game, strike out a lot of people, have an enviable win/loss record, have the best fastball or curve—those are headliners. A few years ago, there were two left-handed pitchers who made headlines for a different reason.
The biggest trade headline in 1973 occurred in the New York Yankees spring training camp in Fort Lauderdale when Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson announced a trade—they had decided to swap wives, two children apiece, and even family dogs. The announcement of that trade traveled faster than any other trade in baseball!
Both families have been friends since 1969. They lived in New Jersey. The children were about the same age. They actually went to family events together. At some time during the 1972 season, each of them became interested in the marriage partner of the other couple. When they announced the trade, the baseball commissioner was “appalled,” but couldn’t interfere. He received more mail about that trade than he did about the introduction of the designated hitter!
One interesting moment occurred when the Yankees General Manager, Lee MacPhail, cracked, “We may have to call off Family Day.”
Neither Kekich nor Peterson will ever make it to the Hall of Fame—but they both saw that they had made the Hall of Shame. That’s what they will be remembered for.
If you want to get your name in the headlines, pursue something good that makes a difference. You can make the headlines by robbing a bank, cheating people out of money, making a public spectacle of yourself—or you can make a difference by giving to people in need, serving the underserved in the community, living your life serving God’s Kingdom. These might not make the human headlines, but they’ll make the heavenly headlines!
If you’re interested in some kind of trade, the first trade should be to trade in your old self and receive the new self that God wants to create. “When a person becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person . . . A new life has begun.” (II Corinthians 5:17)
Trade in a negative attitude for a positive attitude. That will improve your life and the lives of all the people around you. “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)
Trade a “getting” mentality for a “giving” mentality. We discover many more blessings in giving. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
Trade bad choices for good choices. Every choice has a consequence that will determine your direction in life. Choose who to serve. “But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15)
Trading spouses, children, and dogs are not God’s plan. You will win at the game of life if you make the right trades in life in order to follow His plan!
Be very selective in every trade that you make!
