FIRST PRIDE, THEN THE CRASH

“Too much pride can put you to shame.  It's wiser to be humble.”

I will never forget that moment.  Any time an impressive record is broken (save arguably by Bonds, B.), we watch... cheer... we look forward to the day.  When Mark McGwire broke the single season home run record in 1998, the family of the man who previously held the record, Roger Maris, was in attendance in order to personally offer both congratulations and respect.

But would we congratulate if we felt the felicitations fueled arrogance?

On May 1, 1991, baseball legend, Rickey Henderson, stole his 939th base, passing Lou Brock as baseball’s career leader.  He was given a microphone to address the crowd, at which time he first thanked God, his fans, and family, and then he added, “Lou Brock was the symbol of great base stealing.  But today, I’m the greatest of all time.”

Who then rushed to congratulate him?

Even though Henderson says he reviewed his statement with Brock beforehand - and it was said in reference to his idol, Muhammad Ali - Henderson soon knew he had committed an offensive error.  According to Dennis Manoloff in his interview for Baseball Digest, Henderson contritely commented, “As soon as I said it, it ruined everything. Everybody thought it was the worst thing you could ever say. Those words haunt me to this day, and will continue to haunt me.”

Why do the words haunt Henderson?  Why does he now express regret?

Perhaps Henderson is disappointed that his words seem to have overshadowed his accomplishment.  Perhaps he gave us an insight into his character which he had hoped to keep less transparent.  Perhaps he is only regretful - as opposed to remorseful, not truly understanding the extent of his error.  Or perhaps, just perhaps, baseball’s stolen base king stumbled upon an unwritten truth:  arrogance is unattractive.

Whether within sports, politics, the workplace, or within relationship, no one responds well to arrogance.  To be unpretentiously proud of an achievement is valid, but arrogance is an attitude of superiority; it presumes the way we think, behave, or perform is better than all others.  When expressed, arrogance squelches both the efforts and opinions of others.  It shuts down dialogue and erases any good.  Just ask Rickey Henderson, as perceived arrogance erased the primary memory of his accomplishment.

Whether arrogance is real or simply perceived, it remains unattractive.  Each of us could learn much in that regard.

P.S.  It is wiser to be humble.

AR