Unique in Sports

Cricket: The only game where the captain makes all the decision – after winning the toss whether to bat or bowl, who will bowl, when to change the bowler, how to rearrange the field, who to send to bat in which order, when to declare the innings. In other sports, captain is only for toss up.

Baseball: The catcher (ala wicket keeper) tells – via signal – the pitcher (ala bowler) what kind of ball to throw (ala bowl).

Volleyball: the libero (defensive specialist) is the player that wears a different color jersey from their teammates. The libero is a specially designated player that is allowed to replace any player in the back row without the need to substitute. They may never play in the front row. 

Soccer (Football): The goalie wears a different color jersey other than the rest of the team. 

American Football – The games go on no matter what – Rain or Shine or Snow or Thunderstorm or national mourning. Two days after President Kennedy was assassinated the NFL (National Football League) games went on as usual. The then NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle later said it was the biggest mistake of his career. 

Golf – It is the game where a golfer does not get a point on the opponent’s mistake.

Ice Hokey: It has 2 intermissions in each game.  A total of 3 periods, each with 20 minutes.

If you know any other sports which are unique, please let me know

Looking Back

I read in the internet about the arrest of self-styled (fraud) Shiva Shankar Baba. Kudos to the police. My thoughts went a few years back. 

Our mother wanted to go see and get a darshan of this Baba in Chennai. She asked my younger brother to take her to see him. My brother refused by saying this guy is a fraud. (He used a rather derogatory word “Basxxrd”). But my mom insisted. Therefore, my brother took her to see this Baba in his ashram. 

At the ashram hundreds of people were waiting to have a darshan of this baba. My brother told our mom that he would wait outside and not come inside. He will take her home after the darshan is over.

While waiting outside, he saw a crowd nearby. He was curious. He went to find out what was the commotion. There was a couple with a dead body of their 14 year old girl. The taxi driver who was supposed to take them to the nearby village, put the body in the street and refused to drive. 

The driver wanted the agreed amount of Rs.2,000 then and there. The couple were crying. They said they have the money at home and will pay him after reaching the village. The driver refused. He said the parents would refuse to pay the money once he reached their village. 

There were more than 50 people in the crowd. No one was willing to help. 

My brother took out Rs.2,000 from his pocket. He gave it to the parents in front of the driver. Told them to give the money to the driver only after reaching their village. He gave his number to the parents and driver in case of any problem. 

My brother helped the parents put back the body in the car and they drove away. 

Our mom came out after the darshan.  My brother told our mom what happened while he was waiting outside. 

My mom said: It is the Baba who made you go outside and help that poor parents. 

My brother replied with a “facepalm”.