He Dropped the Ball! 

We often use the expression, “he dropped the ball,” to describe someone who has failed to follow through on an assignment or to reach a certain goal.  It is an idiom meaning to make an error, to miss an opportunity.

Some people trace the origin of that phrase to the 4th game of the 1941 Baseball World Series...

The Brooklyn Dodgers were playing the New York Yankees. The Yankees won the first game of the series by a score of 3-2. Brooklyn returned the favor the next game by beating the Yankees 3-2. Then the Yankees took the third game 2-1. In the fourth game it looked like the Dodgers were going to tie the series. Brooklyn was leading 4-3 at the top of the 9th inning. The Yankees were up to bat with the bases empty. There were 2 outs and the count was 3 balls and two strikes on Tommy Henrich. Henrich swung at the next pitch and missed the ball. Now, that should have ended the game. But the Dodgers’ catcher, Mickey Owen, dropped the ball! 

The ball hit off the heel of his glove and rolled toward the Dodgers’ dugout. Henrich 
ran to first base before Owen could retrieve the ball. That started the Yankees’ rally. Next up to bat was “Joltin’ Joe” DiMaggio. The Yankees then went on to score four runs in that inning. And they held on to win the game 7-4. So, instead of the series being tied at 2-2, that victory gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead in the series. The next day, the Yankees beat the Dodgers 3-1 in Game 5. And so the Yankees won the 1941 World Series, and some say it was all because Brooklyn’s catcher, Mickey Owen, dropped 
the ball.

Despite his outstanding career in baseball, Owen was always known as the man who “dropped the ball.” Mickey Owen died just a few years ago in 2005. The title of his obituary in the New York Times read: “Mickey Owen Dies at 89; Allowed Fateful Passed Ball.” Even in his death he was remembered as the guy who dropped the ball. *

You and I have a lot in common with Mickey Owen, for we have ALL “dropped the ball!”  “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For we ALL stumble in many things” (James 3:2).  To make matters worse, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

But God loves us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on 
the cross for our sins that we might have forgiveness (Matthew 26:28) 
and ETERNAL LIFE with Him (Romans 6:23b).  

In order to accept His offer of grace, we must: believe and trust Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:27).

The love of God has made it possible for each of us to be remembered, NOT by 
“he dropped the ball,” but by “For by grace he has been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Having dropped the ball, won’t YOU take hold of Christ in trusting obedience?

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

* Information gleaned from Doug Lyon and Wikipedia.com

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