|
||||||||||
|
|||
IN THE DISTANT past baseball selected their players based in combination on performance on the field, as assessed by small numbers of coaches and managers, and general knowledge as represented on television game and talk shows and assessed by large numbers of mixed audiences.
It soon became evident that from this system, which emphasized equal weighting of performance and knowledge, some of the best field players were quite uncomfortable and unable to demonstrate general knowledge of the game. Likewise some of the mediocre field and bench players excelled in general knowledge; some even articulated great understanding that transcended the national pastime.
What to do? Fans wanted to see performance on the field, not in depth discussions of designated hitters and pitchers batting eighth, at least not during a warm humid summer encounter with the rival club.
IDEA: Play the best field players and realize that from this group there WOULD BE a number of above average to excellent general knowledge representatives. Let the mediocre and poor field players gravitate to the amateur and minor leagues or to television and radio, where they can contribute their expertise to educating the general fan and facilitate interactions with the less than articulate field players.
Does this simple story have any application to real life? Consider the following, which was forwarded to me:
"...just heard on FOX news...and it was trumpeted as good news for students who get nervous taking exams...that 280 colleges and universities around the country now view the ACT and SAT as optional as far as admissions are concerned."
One might make the argument that the small groups of coaches and managers (ACT and SAT tests intended to extract predictive information about the general applicant population) are less valuable than large groups of mixed audiences (individual high schools and preparatory academies including their diverse faculty) in promoting students to the next level.
Yes, everyone deserves opportunity, but that doesn't guarantee outcome. Some well-meaning people desire to engineer outcome by shortchanging opportunity.
The point is that for sports (baseball in this case) field performance is the primary requirement. For colleges and universities, it is important to consider all information, otherwise the system is in danger of diluting educational demands in favor of sentimentalizing higher education for everyone.
|
||||||||||
