I journeyed to Chicago’s Wrigley Field in the summer of 1997. I responded to a personal invitation from Harry Caray, the Chicago Cubs’ famous radio and TV broadcaster. Upon my arrival, I visited the Cubs’ broadcast booth. As I strolled into the booth, I saw a banner hanging on the wall that read “W.G.N. SPORTS / CHICAGO CUBS BASEBALL / WITH HARRY CARAY & STEVE STONE.”

“I’ve heard some interesting things about you, son,” Harry said, as I sat down between the two popular baseball broadcasters. “I just wanted to meet you. My name is Harry Caray. This is my partner, Steve Stone. Isn’t your name ‘Wantsalot Moretail’ or something of that nature?”

“Well, my father’s name was Sir Wantsalot Morenooky. But that’s another story. My name is Sir Wantsalittle Morefromlife. I’m glad to meet you, Sir Harry. I’ve heard a lot about you, too!”

Harry said, “I’ll bet you’re thirsty, considering the heat here in Chicago today. Besides, you’re all bundled up in that heavy suit of armor. . . . Here you go, young man.” Harry handed me an ice-cold mug of Budweiser®, his favorite brand of beer.

Naturally, there was a large, frosty mug of “Bud” sitting in front of Harry, as well. Harry’s mug read “I’m a BUD MAN and a CUBS FAN!” Furthermore, Harry was wearing a big white bib with “#1 Cubs Fan” printed boldly in blue across the front of it.

The baseball game was in progress. The Cubs were playing the St.Louis Cardinals, and the Cubs were batting in the bottom of the sixth inning. Chicago’s All-star right-fielder Sammy “say it ain’t” Sosa was at the plate. As Harry relaxed, sat back, and sipped on his suds, he did his usual play-by-play broadcasting.

With his microphone in hand, Harry called the action, “Here’s the next pitch to Sammy. . . .” Then there was a loud “C-R-A-C-K!” Harry quickly reacted, “There’s a long drive! . . . It’s way back! . . . It might be! . . . It could be! . . . It IS! . . . A HOME RUN! . . . HOLY COW!”

A few moments later, Harry gave me the microphone and headset. He said, “Okay, rookie, it’s your turn to call the shots. Let’s see if you can motivate these loyal and dedicated Cubbies fans.”

Mark Grace, the Cubs’ first baseman and clean-up hitter, stepped to the plate. Grace, another perennial All-star player, ran the pitcher’s count up to two balls and two strikes. On the next pitch, he took a mighty swing. Again, there was a thunderous “C-R-A-C-K!”

I described the action, “There’s another ball hit in the air! . . . It’s somewhere! . . . I can’t see it! . . . There it IS! . . . A FOUL BALL!”

Fans who were sitting around the broadcast booth began booing and hissing and chanting, “We want H-A-R-R-Y. . . . We want H-A-R-R-Y. . . .”

“Sir Harry, what’s your secret?” I inquired, a sad expression on my face. “How have you turned these fans ‘on’ over all the years?”

“I really don’t know, but I’ve loved every minute of it!” Harry replied, slobbering all over himself as he downed the last gulp of his beer.

“Harry, I’ll be back in a minute. I’ve got to go to the restroom.” Really, all I wanted to do was to leave the broadcast booth, just long enough to speak with God. When I stepped out of the broadcast booth, I asked, “Lord, how can I motivate others and become anywhere near as inspirational as the great Harry Caray?”

God suddenly joined me, just outside of the booth. The Lord wore a Cubs’ baseball uniform, #1, and a catcher’s mask. And She was tightly gripping a 38-ounce “Louisville Slugger®” in both hands. I asked, “God, why are You wearing that silly catcher’s mask and carrying around that big baseball bat?”

“While I’m visiting the ‘friendly confines’ of Wrigley Field, I thought I’d get in a few swings. Maybe, I’ll even fill in for the Cubs’ catcher for an inning or two.”

“Lord, did You forget that nobody else can see or hear You when You stop by to give me Your heavenly food-for-thought messages?”

“Oh, yeah! I guess that My invisibility did slip My mind. . . . In that case, Wantsalittle, let Me just offer you some advice on ‘how to motivate people.’ A. Marshall Jones stated, ‘The formula for success is putting the right people in the right jobs and then sitting back on the sidelines being a rousing good cheerleader.’ People are motivated or driven to action either because they fear something or because they want something. Realize that others will perform better and produce better results if they are motivated from an ‘I want to,’ rather than an ‘I have to’ approach.”

“Can You elaborate on that, Lord?”

“Wantsalittle, you have powerful motivational tools close at hand. Why not praise people when they deserve it? Sincerely compliment them for their efforts and accomplishments. Try to be sensitive to other people’s feelings, desires, and personal interests. Offer them your mental support. Take a genuine interest in people’s individual needs. Be more like the late and great Harry Caray, who constantly encouraged others to pursue their personal goals and dreams.”

“All right, God! Is there anything else that You’d like to say before You go?”

“Wantsalittle, as you think and act by motivating others, you will play a meaningful part in their ultimate success. Think of what you can say that will motivate others to do that which they already choose to do.”

“Thanks again! I’ll try to do just that!” The Lord leaped from the broadcast booth down to the home-plate area in a single bound. Then She ran across the infield, toward second base, and continued on into center field. Suddenly, God disappeared into the dense green ivy, a traditional and distinctive feature of Wrigley Field’s outfield wall.

As the game reached the “seventh-inning stretch,” Chicago fans were cheering for their team. Most among the boisterous crowd hollered out expressions such as “Yeah!” and “Go Cubbies!”

Thousands of spectators had worn their red-white-and-blue Cubs’ baseball caps to the game. Steve Stone tossed me a sack of peanuts and a box of Cracker Jack®. He knew what was coming next. . . .

Harry and I leaned out of the broadcast booth. Then Harry yelled into the microphone, “ALL RIGHT EVERYBODY! . . . ALL TOGETHER NOW! . . . Take me out to the ball game . . . (I sang along) . . . Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack . . . (The crowd sang along with us) . . . For it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the ole ball game.” Everybody was motivated to root the Cubs on to victory.

When I left the Cubs’ broadcast booth, a beer vendor walked by. I bought Harry a brewski—one for the road. When I handed it to him, I said, “Harry, this Bud’s for YOU!”

(The moral of this episode: People will perform better and produce better results if they are motivated from an “I want to,” rather than an “I have to” approach!)

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