Baseball three strikes and you are out. Yes and no and maybe. We have been told this "three strikes and you are out." The use of this phrase has been used to be descriptive on many aspects of life.

A myth sometimes is nothing more than a myth and then again it can have some truth or some half truth with some varying circumstances. In baseball playing, if the third strike is not swung at and the umpire declares it a strike, then you are out. The hitter might feel differently and think it was not in the strike zone.

Question it if you will, but in this case the umpire called strike three and you are out. That's the truth. We might even say that is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Now for the half-truth of this three strikes and you are out.

On the third strike, if you swing and miss you are out. Not so fast hot shot. If the catcher takes his eye off the ball and it skips out of that mitt then the batter is only half out. Pray tell what makes the other half?

When the catcher failed to catch the ball then the hitter has new life and he can run. Reaching first base before the catcher can retrieve the ball and throw to first ahead of the runner makes the runner safe due to a passed ball. Now the hitter has gained new life and is a bonafide base runner. But you said half out.

Yes, the half out is that he has a chance at new life and is half out because the odds of him beating the catchers retrieval and subsequent throw on to the first baseman for the out is just that. He was only half out.

Baseball playing, has a play that will allow a man to gain new life after the three strikes and you are out.This is true, half true or to beat the throw is valid proof of it's not necessarily so.

This concept and point of rule is why coaches try their very best to have baseball players never give up. Keep trying. Stay alert. Never say calf rope for it's never over till the fat lady sings the last note.

Now harken and take heart. Somtimes, if life-struggles to get ahead or to gain an advantage, you may think three strikes and you are out. Fail once, don't give up. Fail twice, bounce back. Fail until you feel it's impossible to attain victory but try again. This is the stuff of champions. This three strikes and you are out is simply so much hokey pokey.

Determine to be a winner and by cracky you will win. One strike, never look back. Two strikes, pick up speed. Three strikes, pull at the bootstraps, salute whoever is in charge, and step off smartly. Instead of putting credence in the old "three strikes and you are out," use this one, "when the going gets tough the tough get going." See you at the finish line Champ.

You deserve the winners laurel.

Batter Up---Let's Play Ball...

Major Wiley B. Channell USMC (retired) making baseball more enjoyable for all and trying to encourage winners at http://www.baseballfarming.com

No Winner ever quit. And no quitter ever wins. Get tired, get beat around and struggle to keep on keeping on but you can do it.