"SKEETS" the GOAT

Clarence "Skeets" White is my G.O.A.T. (Greatess of All Time).

TIGER STADIUM

Nineteen Seventy Eight was the top and bottom of my humble high school athletic career at Cass Tech. Baseball season ended that day with a loss to Bro.Rice on the big stage in the Operation Friendship game. My cousin Tracey (who was also an athlete and my first best friend) was over trying to take my mind off the game and suggested, "Let's go to see a movie or something". Told her I wasn't feelin that and "Close the door on your way out". She had more to say (wah wah wah), but I couldn't bring myself out of the fog so she finally left.

That could have been the end of the story, but soon there was a knock on my bedroom door. Thought it was one of my sisters, but to my surprise I see my Uncle Skeets coming in. SHOCKED because he never came upstairs I sprung off the bed. What is he doing here? My father was at his second job. What did I do? Must be in trouble. How come I didn't hear his car pull up? He laughed at my reaction and that put me at ease. But why was he there?

Tracey had gone home to tell her father (snitch) about my performance in the game, and how upset I was. Uncle Skeets walked around the block and up to my room to drop a diamond on me bigger than the one at Tiger Stadium. Not the first time or the last time he would share his treasure with me.

I digress to paint some background on The White Family. Our parents were good friends when Tracey and I were born three weeks apart. I can remember being rocked to sleep in Aunt Geri's lap. They were there from the beginning. I spent a lot of time at their house on Marx. One of my favorite memories was in Aug.1967 after our families returned from a vacation together in Mackinaw, we stayed with them to escape the rioting in our neighborhood.

In Oct.1971 my family moved around the block from where The White Family had been living for a couple years. Their house was literally my second home. Growing up Dawn, Tracey, and Sherri were close like sisters to my sisters and I. We went to school, church, and did everything else together.

When I was very young Uncle Skeets gave me a pass for drawing on his blueprints, saved me from eating eyeballs, and took me to see George Gervin play for EMU. We always had a lot of fun and jokes between us. I trusted him like my dad, and felt comfort to be honest with him.

"What happened in the game?", he asked. Basically I was pinch hitting down 2 runs, men on second and third with one out. As a contact hitter, I should get at least one run in. When I got to the plate and looked out to the pitcher, the backdrop of Tiger Stadium had me overwhelmed for a moment. Took the first pitch a strike and fouled the next one off. Then a swing and miss at a fat fastball. STRIKE THREE!! I returned to the bench feeling like Charlie Brown (Rats!!).

Uncle Skeets asked me what made me so upset. "I choked and let my friends down. The season is over. We were better than them. I'm better than that". Suddenly I felt clarity with that revelation coming out my mouth. He continued to strike chords in my mind asking, "Did you do everything to prepare yourself for that at bat?". I thought for a moment and had to tell him, "No".

Before the game we took batting practice at Wayne State. Coach Spivey split us in two groups and put me in the group that made me think I wasn't going to play. Frustrated, I pouted and didn't even take any BP.

Then Uncle Skeets dropped a DIAMOND. He told me that you have to prepare yourself for opportunity. You will get out what you put in. That means practice and conditioning. Stay ready. Then he asked, "What you gonna do next time?". I said, "I'm gonna be ready". He continued to tell me it's just a game and to enjoy playing. Losing is part of the game and understand there are life lessons to be learned in sports. "Now I'm gonna send Tracey back over here and you all go do something", he said. I felt a lot better after our bike ride.

That summer I was captain of the A's 16 and under team. I worked hard. We went undefeated locally. My game continued to improve. I made the all-tournament team at a national tourney in Joliet, IL.

Forty years later we just celebrated the life my Uncle Skeets. As a man, he is my G.O.A.T. His physical body is gone, but his spirit will always be with me. Still have those DIAMONDS he gave me. Like my Uncle I share them when wisdom is needed.

Blessed Love to infinity.