Photo above: George Steinbrenner and Yogi Berra, January 5, 1999
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On March 3, 1991 Rodney King (at right) was severely beaten by four Los Angeles Police Department officers after a high-speed chase. Rodney King was black. Three of the four officers were white, the fourth was white and Latino. The whole event was videotaped by a bystander, and the tape was sold to a local
television station. From there, it was viewed by everyone who had a television. The state trial of the four officers resulted in acquittal for all four on all charges. Immediately, Los Angeles erupted in riots which lasted for six days, and were ended only by U. S. military intervention. Sixty-three people were killed, thousands were injured, and there was over a billion dollars in property damage. During the riots, Rodney King appealed for calm, saying, “Can we all get along? We’ve just got to.” He died in 2012 at the age of 47, but he will be forever remembered for that line.
God wants us to get along. Romans 12:16 says, “Live in harmony with one another.” God doesn’t want us on bad terms, beating each other up (physically or emotionally), hating each other, always hostile, pestering and irritating each other, bearing grudges, getting revenge, filled with resentment, refusing to speak to each other, or detesting and despising anyone. God wants us to get along.
There are many ways that the harmony God wants for us can be disturbed. We all have different opinions and different temperaments. In our day-to-day relationships we will disagree, we will anger each other, we will hurt each other (intentionally and unintentionally). We find many ways to sin against each other.
In the above incident, Rodney King should not have been driving drunk, and then recklessly leading police on an eight-mile chase at speeds up to 115 miles per hour. The police should have arrested him without beating him. The jury should not have found the police officers innocent (a federal court later convicted all four). The rioters should not have rioted. Mistakes were made. Sins were committed. Harmony was broken.
When a wrong is done, God commands apologies (repentance), forgiveness, and a restoration of harmony. More often than not, some of each is required by both sides. This is not easy. As a pastor, I heard it a million times: “You don’t know what he did to me. You don’t know how she hurt me. No, I can never forgive. It cannot be done.”
Here is a story that shows it can be done, and how.
Yankee catcher Yogi Berra (1925-2015) won ten World Series Championship rings, more than any other player in baseball history. He played for the Yankees 18 years, and his skill, decency as a person, humor, and quotes made him a fan favorite.
After his playing career, Berra became a coach, and then a manager; first with the Yankees, then with the New York Mets, and then back with the New York Yankees. In 1985, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner (1930-2010) hired Yogi for the 1985 season, with assurances that Yogi would not be fired. He would be there for the entire season—guaranteed. Sixteen games into the season, Steinbrenner fired Yogi. Not only did he not honor his agreement, but he had an assistant deliver the news. After so many years of working together, to not even have the courage to deliver the news in person, was an outrageous act of disrespect. The breaking of a very public promise was a very public betrayal. Yogi was hurt and angry. He said he would never step foot in Yankee stadium again unless Steinbrenner apologized. Fans and players were heart-broken that this Yankee icon would no longer be seen in Yankee stadium.
Not only was Yogi Berra angry, but so were his players, the fans, sports announcers, and columnists. No living Yankee was loved and respected more than Yogi Berra. The very public snub of this popular player, and then Berra’s absence from Yankee stadium, could not have been good for business at the stadium. So, did Steinbrenner immediately apologize? Not at all. In fact, he did not apologize for fourteen years, and in all that time, Mr. Yankee did not set foot in Yankee stadium. Steinbrenner refused to apologize. Berra refused to return.
In 1999, journalist Suzyn Waldman, made an attempt to reconcile the two men. That is another story in itself; but finally, Steinbrenner reluctantly agreed to go to the Yogi Berra Museum and apologize in person, and Yogi reluctantly agreed to be there. A film of their meeting is in a documentary on the life of Yogi Berra called “It Ain’t Over.” It is terrific.
Steinbrenner came into the museum and Yogi said gruffly, “You’re late.” George responded with irritation, saying “No, I’m not.” Then, both went into a room by themselves. Loud yelling could be heard for a little while. Then Yogi’s wife Carmen went in to talk to them. The film doesn’t say what Carmen said, but when she was done, George said, “Yogi, I want to tell you, I’ve made a lot of mistakes in baseball, and letting you go in that manner was one of them.” And Yogi immediately replied cheerfully, “That’s all right, George, I’ve made a lot of mistakes in baseball, too. So, let’s make up and be friends.” Done– just like that. That is how it can be. An apology made (repentance), accepted (forgiveness), and they are friends again (reconciliation)– just like how the Bible says it should be done. It works.
The two old enemies then went out to a waiting crowd, laughing together, and giving each other a big ‘berra’ hug (see photo at top). George said, “I apologized to Yogi and I just hope he can accept my apology.” Yogi, famous for saying “It ain’t over ’til it’s over,” said, “It’s over.” After fourteen long and bitter years, they reconciled in a few minutes and were friends from then on, always having nothing but good things to say about each other.
Repentance and forgiveness. It can be done.
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FINAL NOTE: After Steinbrenner made amends, Berra returned to Yankee Stadium, spending the last 16 years of his life attending home games and going to Yankees spring training. “I think that Grandpa could absolutely understand and respect the fact that people make mistakes,” said Yogi’s grand-daughter Lindsay Berra. “But what he didn’t have respect for is not owning up to your mistakes and apologizing to the people that you’ve hurt.”
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Romans 12:16a — Live in harmony with one another.
Matthew 6:14-15 — (Jesus said), “For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others their sins, neither will your father in heaven forgive your sins.” (In other words, don’t mess with God on this one.)
Matthew 5:9a — (Jesus said), “Blessed are the peacemakers.” (In the above story, Suzyn Waldman and Carmen Berra)
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Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
–Jesus
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I have to include one of Yogi’s many famous quotes: “Some people say I’m ugly. So what? In this racket all you’ve got to do is hit the ball, and I’ve never heard of anybody hitting it with his face.”
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The movie trailer for “It Ain’t Over.” It can be watched on several streaming sites for $2.00-$4.00 (but not Netflix).
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