Memorial Day; I have the deepest admiration, appreciation and respect for every single military person that has ever made the ultimate sacrifice, but at this time of year I'm always left thinking, "What a waste." Not that the holiday itself is a waste or that their deaths were in vain, but rather, what a waste to lose all that valuable life. It's just very saddening when you stop and think about it.

Gone in the blink of an eye were sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, husbands and wives. Gone from the future were all the things those souls would have become. Potential is an impossible thing to measure but everyone has his or her own special kind.  Each of those fallen heroes was destined to contribute to society. These people would have been doctors, teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, anything and everything. What was taken from us we will never know.

Many feel war is a necessary evil while others say it is abhorrent and unjustifiable. Whatever your opinion, war remains what is has always been: Mankind's biggest enigma. Only in war can we witness the best and worst of human nature. War inspires evil, destruction and hatred yet it conversely brings forth courage, selflessness and love.  It is such a fearsome thought, that when football player Pat Tillman turned away millions of dollars to enlist in the military, there was simultaneous shock and respect for the choice he had made.  

For many, Tillman's decision and subsequent death made him a shining star.  Here was a man who put love of country over love of self and money. I too greatly respected him. The things I admire most in people are the things I doubt I could do myself.  His actions made me think back to past generations.

Comparing the current state of affairs in Iraq to World War II is unfair. Other than the fact that they are both wars, they have little in common. The politics involved are different and the technological changes in warfare are exponential. Socially speaking the morals and values of society have evolved as well, for better and worse. One thing that is clear from our history lessons is that the sacrifice Tillman made in the present was standard practice for the sports heroes of the past.  Back then he'd be just another soldier-athlete, for back then they all enlisted. Although the act was more common, this does not diminish their deeds.

Any life lost in war is a loss that can never be measured.  Each individual has just as much importance as another and each death reminds us of unfulfilled gifts. To emphasize this point I put together a Hall Of Fame Lineup of former soldiers.  Each man bravely served in either WWII or Korea.  The fickle hand of fate chose to keep them safe during wartime. They serve as examples of excellence that easily could have been lost to us forever, for they surely too were willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice.

 (Note:) For his leadership abilities as a marine fighter pilot I anointed Ted Williams the title of Manager. Of all the baseball players who were veterans, his story is one of the most well known and respected. He definitely was the man.

 Ted Williams (Marines,WW II) .344 AVG 521 HR 1,839 RBI   1B-Hank Greenberg (Army,WW II) .313 AVG 331 HR 1,276 RBI   2B-Jackie Robinson (Army, WW II)  .311 AVG   137 HR   734 RBI  SS- "Pee Wee" Reese (Navy, WW II) .269 AVG 126 HR 885 RBI  3B-Eddie Mathews ( Navy, Korea) .271 AVG   512 HR   1,453 RBI  OF-Stan Musial (Navy, WW II) .331 AVG   475 HR   1,951 RBI  OF-Joe DiMaggio (Army, WW II) .325 AVG   361 HR   1,537 RBI  OF-Willie Mays (Army, Korea) .301 AVG   660 HR   1,903  C-Yogi Berra (Navy, WW II)  .285 AVG   358 HR   1,430 RBI  RHP-Bob Feller (Navy, WW II)  266-162   3.25 ERA   2,581 Ks  LHP-Warren Spahn (Army,WWII)  363-245  3.09 ERA  2,583 Ks

There were so many additional athletes in baseball and other professional sports who served, but hopefully this conveys my message. Imagine if Ted Williams had been shot down flying a mission and killed. Who then would be remembered as "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived"? On a deeper level what if fate had called for Jackie Robinson? Would the person picked in his place to break baseball's color barrier have  handled the responsibility with the same dignity and grace that he showed? While I'm on the subject of Robinson, would he have had another teammate such as "Pee Wee" Reese? Reese was the only man with enough bravery to befriend Jackie and stand famously beside him, arm around his shoulders, as racial hatred rained down so long ago in America.  Or Hank Greenberg, who served as a source of pride and inspiration for Jewish people around the country, as they mourned the millions massacred in the Nazi holocaust.    Fortunately the world was able to witness their accomplishments. Even so their lives were worth no more than those who never returned to their loved ones.

That fact remains the same to this day. Each person lost in Iraq adds another page to the voluminous book titled, "What Could Have Been."  Let's all hope they get home soon, so we can stop adding people to the list of those we pay homage to on Memorial Day.

(This is a repost from last year but my feelings on the subject will never change.)