[Viewpoint] Baseball, bugs & life lessons from an unexpected source

As a lifelong resident of Cleveland, by definition, I’m a sports fan. And few eras in the city’s colorful sports history have been as exciting as the two World Series appearances by the Indians in the mid-1990s. While power hitters Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle and Jim Thome garnered most of the national headlines during that period, true Clevelanders always knew the “heart and soul” of the team was shortstop Omar Vizquel, a three-time All-Star and 11-time Gold Glove recipient. But it wasn’t Omar’s slick fielding and late-inning heroics that were his greatest contributions to those championship teams. It was his love for the game that made those squads so special, the passion he expressed on a daily basis upon lacing up his cleats and taking the field on those sun-splashed summer days.

That’s why when I learned the Indians were planning a special tribute to Vizquel upon his return to Cleveland after he left the team to join the San Francisco Giants in 2005, I called my father-in-law and asked if he would like to attend the game. Although I don’t live and die with the Tribe like some of my friends, after such a distinguished career and so many fond memories I felt I owed it to Vizquel to thank him one last time for what he had meant to the city. Sounds silly doesn’t it? A grown man buying a ticket to a ballgame in silent tribute to a ballplayer he’s never met. But that’s how I felt. Arriving at the ballpark early and taking a seat along the first-base line, it wasn’t long before Omar popped out of the dugout to begin his pre-game warmup. The hair was thinner and the physique a bit thicker, but what remained was the pure joy on Omar’s face as he interacted with fans, graciously signing autographs and acknowledging familiar faces in the crowd before pausing to look up at the massive scoreboard above Progressive Field and view a video chronicling his extraordinary career. I couldn’t help but wonder if the 41-year-old Vizquel, with his best years behind him, felt a sense of remorse for never having captured a World Series ring while an Indian. I hope not, for in retrospect he gave us so much more.

During those memorable summer afternoons a decade ago, on a team full of superstars, a 5-foot, 9-inch, 175-pound shortstop signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Seattle Mariners in 1984 became the heart and soul of the Cleveland Indians — a man who commanded the respect of his peers for his flawless fielding and timely hitting, but whose most enduring contribution was his pure, unadulterated love for the game, a winning combination for any organization, whether a baseball team or a pest control business.

All successful organizations have an Omar Vizquel on their staff, someone who is a highly productive performer, but who also makes it fun to come to work every day. “You don’t realize when you’re younger that you need to have a job that you enjoy,” said PCO Kevin Alexander, owner of Western Pest Control, Clinton, Okla., in this month’s cover story (“Good Fortune,” pg. 28). While the money may be important, he said, “If you really like something...you’re going to be more successful at it.” That’s the power of joy. And as the memory of his 11 Gold Gloves and game-winning hits inevitably fade, that’s the lesson of Omar Vizquel’s career. We could all learn something from Omar.

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We’re pleased to welcome Jessica Phelan, interim executive director, PPMA, as a columnist to PCT magazine. Phelan will be providing quarterly updates on the important work of the Professional Pest Management Alliance in her new column, PPMA Pulse, while Cindy Mannes, in her new role at Arrow Exterminators, will continue writing her popular quarterly Mannes on Marketing column.

The author is publisher of PCT magazine.