We are each responsible for our own conduct.
—Galatians 6:5
Donald Jensen was umpiring a Little League game in Terre Haute, Indiana, when someone took exception to a call and threw a baseball bat at him, hitting him in the head.
While being kept in the hospital overnight for observation, Jensen wrote this open letter to parents.
“The purpose of Little League is to teach baseball skills to young men. A kid who is allowed to blame a lost game on an umpire, is being given the chance to take all responsibility for the loss from their shoulders. A parent or adult leader who permits the young player to blame his failures on an umpire is doing the worst kind of injustice to the youngster. This irresponsibility is bound to carry over to future years.”
Donald Jensen died the following morning of a brain concussion.
Take ownership of your words and actions.
And insist that your kids do the same.