After over a 100 years of trying, the CUBS won baseball’s World Series. A rosary of cliffhanging games highlighted the last stages against the Cleveland Indians. And just to add to the excitement, the final game went into an extra inning where we all trembled at the prospect of a defeat.
But the CUBS delivered!! And they did through what baseball experts and especially maestro Aparicio would dub as” the perfection of routine.”
Perfection in routine led the Cubs to extraordinary plays such as those in the final moments when the Indians tied with three runs in the eighth inning — including a two-out, two-strike, two-run off a home run by Rajai Davis. The Cubs however found a way to beat back the ghosts of the past to clinch a spectacular victory. After a suspension caused by rain at the bottom of the ninth inning, the Cubs propelled two runs in the 10th inning with two men on base through their star player Ben Zobrist and a single through Miguel Montero. The feat transcends sports to define the essence of democracy, social mobility and the American Myth upon which its democracy thrives.
From the purely sports point of view, the Cubs victory is a gush of fresh air in a 112-year-old sports championship where four teams have pocketed 55 crowns. As such, it renews the cast of baseball heroes and creates competition to the four sacred cows that today are all trying to figure out what is the Epstein way to baseball. As competition stings the sport leaders, their efforts to improve performance and enhance fan loyalty will bring about the much-postponed series reform aimed at reinserting the teams into their local communities — an effort that has been postponed for too long.
From the business perspective, the Cubs triumph will turn into an Ivy-League case study for business schools worldwide. The lesson to be learned is how to build a winning organization from scratch and lead it to the top of its league. It would also reveal the secrets of creating a culture that nurtures team performance and success. This was the work of Theo Epstein who undid the old team t; searched for fresh talent and brought together through the creation of a community culture where every member supports the whole and the whole supports them. The team today is made up of a solid core of young players who have learned the secrets of major leaguing together. This core of talent is knitted together by a culture that Epstein dubs “The Cubs Way”. This is a set of rules; approaches and practices that bound together the whole team given that they standardize the organization’s philosophy and applies to everyone from Epstein to the star first batman, ticket office; coaches; attendees and even interns. To seal into the hearts of the team the Cubs Way, Epstein hired Joe Maddon who directly manages the team who manages players and is responsible for creating the appropriate locker room environment.
From the political perspective, the Cubs victory is a song to the limitless potential of the US to make dreams come true. Will power and a correct strategy are the fuels feeding the engine of inventiveness which is a transformational power that has created the most successful economic system in the world and freest of all societies. Without the interference from the state in a nation where citizens are free to create even the weakest human beings can achieve triumph. This could herald a renew stage of American development where home is kinder and gentler while the rest of the world is development driven and peace seeking. Or as the singer Tom Morello put it: «if the worst of the worst can become the best of the best, then really, ANYTHING is possible. It makes one think. Can the unthinkable occur? Forging a just and humane planet?»
Maybe a good omen for the upcoming historic choice for Commander in Chief.
Published by Latin American Herald Tribune on November 7th, 2016
https://laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2424725&CategoryId=13303
