Verlander’s Career and the Pursuit of Greatness
It is rare that one baseball game stirs up so many emotions. Yet, Justin Verlander’s last game over the weekend with the Detroit Tigers did just that. There was:
- His seven-year-old daughter Genevieve who surprised him by coming out to walk him off the mound (Verlander said he had to reassure his daughter his tears reflected surprise and emotion, not sadness.)
- The final salute by home base umpire Laz Diaz who will also be retiring.
- The fact that Verlander and his wife Kate Upton announced another $100,000 donation to Michigan Humane for Military (on top of the million he donated in 2013 and regular gifts since then). This organization covers adoption fees for veterans and active-duty service members.
Brad Stulberg, author of The Way of Excellence, noted on Substack that Verlander’s career spanned 21 years and included 3 Cy Young Awards, 2 World Series Championships, an MVP award, a triple crown, and ten All-Star Games. He said that Verlander’s final start was so moving because it captured “the commitment, the sacrifice, the tradeoffs, the fears, the joys, the regrets—all the complexity involved in the pursuit of greatness.”
He said that Verlander’s career is the consummate example of the pursuit of excellence: “It’s deeply felt. It’s about heart and soul. It’s about love.”
We’re not all Justin Verlanders. But those of us who are passionate about sports can all benefit from leading with love and playing our passion forward to help others.
