Post by bstros on Apr 15, 2007 21:35:02 GMT -5
Lance Berkman Interview
Spring Training Special
by Andy Clapp
www.prodigalsonmagazine.com
www.prodigalsonmagazine.com/walk/2007/03/men_of_god_lance_berkman.php
Underneath the bright lights on a warm summer’s night, the crack of a wooden bat echoes throughout a stadium full of adoring fans. The flash of a thousand cameras pop in a second, and through the night sky flies a ball as well as the dreams of children everywhere. It is a home run, a feat that captivates all who are in the stands, those who are watching on television, and those who dream of one day standing at the plate and taking a swing. Two hundred and twenty-five times, Lance Berkman has stood at the plate and ushered in one of those moments.
The first baseman for the Houston Astros exploded onto the scene to become one of the killer B’s for the Astros in 2000, after a brief call-up in the year 1999. It began a career that would see him lead the Astros to the World Series and see him become one of the most feared hitters in Major League Baseball. Through it all, Lance has stayed grounded in his faith and humble, leaning on the Lord for understanding, and trying to use all that God has given him to further the kingdom of heaven. I caught up with Lance after practice as the Astros Training Facility in Kissimmee, Florida.
His Life
Lance Berkman grew up in Texas with a love for the game of baseball. He was born in February of 1976 in Waco, Texas and grew up playing the game that he loved in the hopes of one day playing in the big leagues. His parents were Christians, and they instilled in Lance the need for a faith foundation in life. His faith journey would begin there in Waco and continue into his career with the Astros.
Q – Tell me your testimony.
“I grew up in a Christian home. I grew up in the church of Christ which is a pretty good, biblically based denomination. I remember going to Sunday School. I tell people that I overcame a drug problem…(smiling) my parents drug me to church every time the doors opened. So, it was one of those things where I had a lot of head knowledge and not a lot of heart knowledge. So, I went to Rice and baseball was a pretty big deal for me and was sort of an idol. If I didn’t do good in baseball, the world was coming to an end…it was just that important. At that point in my life, it was my first time away from my parents and was doing the college thing and got into some things I shouldn’t have been doing, wasn’t living the life that Christ calls us to live. I would’ve said that I was a Christian but my life certainly didn’t reflect that. I had a teammate that was a believer and was a great example, but at the same time, he was a man’s man. My view of Christianity at that time and people who were born again believers was somebody who would sit in a library all day, a real kind of meek person as far as no aggression, no competitive nature, nothing like that. This guy was totally different. He was a very strong personality and liked to do the kind of things that I did. His parents had a ranch and we would go there and ride horses and he liked to hunt and stuff like that. We became best friends and just through his example and examining my own life with my biblical background, I realized that I wasn’t living the life that Christ calls us to live. At that point, I guess it was around my junior year at Rice, is when I transferred a lot of my head knowledge into my heart. It was a gradual process for me.”
It was that heart knowledge that would begin to change the way that Lance lived each day and changed his view of his career and what God had blessed him with. It was his faith that would continue to grow as God blessed him in his years after college, putting him on center stage of America’s pastime.
His Sport
He has already played in the World Series and is a perennial All-Star in Major League Baseball. Lance has averaged better than thirty-three home runs each year since the year 2001, including an incredible forty-five home run season in 2006 with a batting average over .300 and 136 RBI. With the success, you would think that there would be the chance for a slide in Lance’s faith and message. What resulted was quite the opposite.
Q – What has God taught you through your success in baseball?
“There’s a big responsibility, a big platform, that I’ve been blessed with and I think, one of these days, I’m going to have to give an account for how I used the resources that God has blessed me with, whether it be financial or talent-wise. I think He expects the people He blesses to do more. It’s a big responsibility and something that I take very seriously. The more success you have, the more you realize that it is just here and gone. You want to invest in things that have true value; investing in the kingdom, being involved in a big way there, not just financially, but also with your time. I think it’s key and it’s what we’re supposed to be doing.”
As I stood there interviewing someone who was so famous and yet so humble, I wondered what his life was like on a daily basis. Many times, we forget that our heroes also have ordinary sides to life, just like you and I.
Q – What is a typical day like in the life of a Major League Baseball player during the season?
“During the season, it’s pretty monotonous. We do the same thing pretty much every day. I get up and eat breakfast, my kids will go to school unless it’s during the summer, and then leave for the ballpark around 3:30pm. We take batting practice, then play the game, and then get home around 11:30 and go to bed between 12am – 1am, then get up and do it all over again. On the road, I usually sleep a little later, get up and go eat breakfast or lunch, usually with the same group of guys, then it really just depends on what is going on that day. Sometimes, I’ll go to the park early and other times, I will go back to the hotel and read. We have a bus that leaves for the park at four, so we go there, play the game, and do it all over again!”
His presence has helped turn around the Astros franchise. He became a core part after his breakout season in 2001, along with Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. This off-season, Jeff Bagwell announced his retirement from the game of baseball.
Q – Is it going to be tough this year without Jeff Bagwell?
“It will be, personally and team-wise. He’s a great guy, good to have in the clubhouse, and one of the best right-hand hitters that the game has seen.”
His Faith
Lance was someone that you feel comfortable talking to, like a best friend that you have known all of your life. He spoke in a little more depth about various aspects of his faith.
Q – What is your favorite Bible passage and why?
“One of my favorite passages is Proverbs 3:5-6, which is probably a lot of people’s. I think it’s reflective of the way we’re supposed to live, not leaning on what we know or what we understand, but leaning on what god is teaching us and relying on His wisdom.”
Q – How has faith influenced your career as a Major League Baseball player?
“I think it keeps everything in perspective. No matter how good you are in baseball, how much money your make, how many All-Star you get to go to, or what you win, it is all fleeting. It’s a fleeting glory and is something that will ultimately pass away. There are very few things in life that don’t pass away and the only thing that I know of is that relationship with Christ. So, it (faith) helps you keep an internal perspective rather than getting caught up in the here and now. You realize that this is not all there is. You’ve got a higher calling and something that’s a lot greater to live for.”
Q – What was one instance in your life when you felt like God was right there with you?
“I had a pretty good freshmen year at Rice and then I went to play summer ball. I went to Kansas and played up there one summer. I didn’t have a very good summer; I wasn’t playing well, I wasn’t hitting well, and it was just a tough time. We had a tournament right at the end of the summer and I remember thinking to myself, “I really want to be a professional baseball player. That’s really my whole goal and has been since I was a little boy, but now I feel like I’m sort of losing that because I’m not able to compete at this level.” I just had all of those thoughts going through my head and I remember saying to the Lord, “Hey, if you want me to be a baseball player, then let me see something (smiling). I’m just basically going to turn it over to you, so if I’m supposed to be a baseball player, then it will just happen.” I remember I said that right before we went into that postseason tournament and I ended up having the best tournament of my life. I was just on fire the whole time, got a bunch of hits and drove in a bunch of runs. I remember Team USA was in the tournament and I got some attention from them. It was a springboard from there to being a nationally recognized player and that lead to me getting drafted. That was one instance in my baseball career where I felt like I was at the end of my rope. I just said, “If it’s supposed to be, then You’re going to have to do it.”
God did do it and placed Lance in the spotlight for His glory, something that Lance understands. He gave his life over to God and then gave the controls over to the Lord and the Lord has directed his steps since that time. If we all give the Lord control over the direction of our lives, it will be the biggest hit we will ever have. He will take our lives to heights we never expected, just as Lance Berkman sends baseballs to heights many never imagined possible.
Spring Training Special
by Andy Clapp
www.prodigalsonmagazine.com
www.prodigalsonmagazine.com/walk/2007/03/men_of_god_lance_berkman.php
Underneath the bright lights on a warm summer’s night, the crack of a wooden bat echoes throughout a stadium full of adoring fans. The flash of a thousand cameras pop in a second, and through the night sky flies a ball as well as the dreams of children everywhere. It is a home run, a feat that captivates all who are in the stands, those who are watching on television, and those who dream of one day standing at the plate and taking a swing. Two hundred and twenty-five times, Lance Berkman has stood at the plate and ushered in one of those moments.
The first baseman for the Houston Astros exploded onto the scene to become one of the killer B’s for the Astros in 2000, after a brief call-up in the year 1999. It began a career that would see him lead the Astros to the World Series and see him become one of the most feared hitters in Major League Baseball. Through it all, Lance has stayed grounded in his faith and humble, leaning on the Lord for understanding, and trying to use all that God has given him to further the kingdom of heaven. I caught up with Lance after practice as the Astros Training Facility in Kissimmee, Florida.
His Life
Lance Berkman grew up in Texas with a love for the game of baseball. He was born in February of 1976 in Waco, Texas and grew up playing the game that he loved in the hopes of one day playing in the big leagues. His parents were Christians, and they instilled in Lance the need for a faith foundation in life. His faith journey would begin there in Waco and continue into his career with the Astros.
Q – Tell me your testimony.
“I grew up in a Christian home. I grew up in the church of Christ which is a pretty good, biblically based denomination. I remember going to Sunday School. I tell people that I overcame a drug problem…(smiling) my parents drug me to church every time the doors opened. So, it was one of those things where I had a lot of head knowledge and not a lot of heart knowledge. So, I went to Rice and baseball was a pretty big deal for me and was sort of an idol. If I didn’t do good in baseball, the world was coming to an end…it was just that important. At that point in my life, it was my first time away from my parents and was doing the college thing and got into some things I shouldn’t have been doing, wasn’t living the life that Christ calls us to live. I would’ve said that I was a Christian but my life certainly didn’t reflect that. I had a teammate that was a believer and was a great example, but at the same time, he was a man’s man. My view of Christianity at that time and people who were born again believers was somebody who would sit in a library all day, a real kind of meek person as far as no aggression, no competitive nature, nothing like that. This guy was totally different. He was a very strong personality and liked to do the kind of things that I did. His parents had a ranch and we would go there and ride horses and he liked to hunt and stuff like that. We became best friends and just through his example and examining my own life with my biblical background, I realized that I wasn’t living the life that Christ calls us to live. At that point, I guess it was around my junior year at Rice, is when I transferred a lot of my head knowledge into my heart. It was a gradual process for me.”
It was that heart knowledge that would begin to change the way that Lance lived each day and changed his view of his career and what God had blessed him with. It was his faith that would continue to grow as God blessed him in his years after college, putting him on center stage of America’s pastime.
His Sport
He has already played in the World Series and is a perennial All-Star in Major League Baseball. Lance has averaged better than thirty-three home runs each year since the year 2001, including an incredible forty-five home run season in 2006 with a batting average over .300 and 136 RBI. With the success, you would think that there would be the chance for a slide in Lance’s faith and message. What resulted was quite the opposite.
Q – What has God taught you through your success in baseball?
“There’s a big responsibility, a big platform, that I’ve been blessed with and I think, one of these days, I’m going to have to give an account for how I used the resources that God has blessed me with, whether it be financial or talent-wise. I think He expects the people He blesses to do more. It’s a big responsibility and something that I take very seriously. The more success you have, the more you realize that it is just here and gone. You want to invest in things that have true value; investing in the kingdom, being involved in a big way there, not just financially, but also with your time. I think it’s key and it’s what we’re supposed to be doing.”
As I stood there interviewing someone who was so famous and yet so humble, I wondered what his life was like on a daily basis. Many times, we forget that our heroes also have ordinary sides to life, just like you and I.
Q – What is a typical day like in the life of a Major League Baseball player during the season?
“During the season, it’s pretty monotonous. We do the same thing pretty much every day. I get up and eat breakfast, my kids will go to school unless it’s during the summer, and then leave for the ballpark around 3:30pm. We take batting practice, then play the game, and then get home around 11:30 and go to bed between 12am – 1am, then get up and do it all over again. On the road, I usually sleep a little later, get up and go eat breakfast or lunch, usually with the same group of guys, then it really just depends on what is going on that day. Sometimes, I’ll go to the park early and other times, I will go back to the hotel and read. We have a bus that leaves for the park at four, so we go there, play the game, and do it all over again!”
His presence has helped turn around the Astros franchise. He became a core part after his breakout season in 2001, along with Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. This off-season, Jeff Bagwell announced his retirement from the game of baseball.
Q – Is it going to be tough this year without Jeff Bagwell?
“It will be, personally and team-wise. He’s a great guy, good to have in the clubhouse, and one of the best right-hand hitters that the game has seen.”
His Faith
Lance was someone that you feel comfortable talking to, like a best friend that you have known all of your life. He spoke in a little more depth about various aspects of his faith.
Q – What is your favorite Bible passage and why?
“One of my favorite passages is Proverbs 3:5-6, which is probably a lot of people’s. I think it’s reflective of the way we’re supposed to live, not leaning on what we know or what we understand, but leaning on what god is teaching us and relying on His wisdom.”
Q – How has faith influenced your career as a Major League Baseball player?
“I think it keeps everything in perspective. No matter how good you are in baseball, how much money your make, how many All-Star you get to go to, or what you win, it is all fleeting. It’s a fleeting glory and is something that will ultimately pass away. There are very few things in life that don’t pass away and the only thing that I know of is that relationship with Christ. So, it (faith) helps you keep an internal perspective rather than getting caught up in the here and now. You realize that this is not all there is. You’ve got a higher calling and something that’s a lot greater to live for.”
Q – What was one instance in your life when you felt like God was right there with you?
“I had a pretty good freshmen year at Rice and then I went to play summer ball. I went to Kansas and played up there one summer. I didn’t have a very good summer; I wasn’t playing well, I wasn’t hitting well, and it was just a tough time. We had a tournament right at the end of the summer and I remember thinking to myself, “I really want to be a professional baseball player. That’s really my whole goal and has been since I was a little boy, but now I feel like I’m sort of losing that because I’m not able to compete at this level.” I just had all of those thoughts going through my head and I remember saying to the Lord, “Hey, if you want me to be a baseball player, then let me see something (smiling). I’m just basically going to turn it over to you, so if I’m supposed to be a baseball player, then it will just happen.” I remember I said that right before we went into that postseason tournament and I ended up having the best tournament of my life. I was just on fire the whole time, got a bunch of hits and drove in a bunch of runs. I remember Team USA was in the tournament and I got some attention from them. It was a springboard from there to being a nationally recognized player and that lead to me getting drafted. That was one instance in my baseball career where I felt like I was at the end of my rope. I just said, “If it’s supposed to be, then You’re going to have to do it.”
God did do it and placed Lance in the spotlight for His glory, something that Lance understands. He gave his life over to God and then gave the controls over to the Lord and the Lord has directed his steps since that time. If we all give the Lord control over the direction of our lives, it will be the biggest hit we will ever have. He will take our lives to heights we never expected, just as Lance Berkman sends baseballs to heights many never imagined possible.
