17/10/2024
Enjoy. It’s from the vault. Jesse David Cigary
There is a man I know who means the world to me—Jesse Cigary. Jesse is my number one dawg. No debate, no discussion. Outside of my family, there’s no one I’m closer to. In my wilder days, Jesse kept me out of jail and probably saved my life more than once. Now, he encourages me in my marriage and sobriety. But today, I want to take you back to 1999.
That year, Jesse and I played on the same 13-year-old all-star team in Columbus County, North Carolina. My dad was the coach, and we had an unforgettable summer. On this particular day, we were playing for the state title, to advance to the World Series in Pelham, Alabama. It was the biggest game of our young lives. Jesse was our last available pitcher, and he had the ball in hand, ready to face the pressure.
Before the game, we ran to the foul pole as a team to pray and cover any last-minute details. Though nervous, we kept it cool. My dad tossed the ball to Jesse and said, “If your pitch count stays low, we might need you to go all seven innings. Can you do it?” Jesse locked eyes with my dad and said, “Yes, sir, Coach. I can go all seven.”
I knew Jesse was nervous, but he never let it show. His quiet confidence fired us up, and we jogged back to the dugout, ready to play.
The game was tough. We faced Brunswick County, a powerhouse team with a local legend batting cleanup and a pitcher named Buckshot, known for his tricky knuckleball. But we outplayed them in every phase of the game and earned our spot in the World Series.
Jesse pitched a complete game—seven innings—shutting down their lineup, beating the local legend, and handling Buckshot’s best. Afterward, we gathered at the foul pole to celebrate and pray. My dad arrived a bit late, holding the game ball.
He smiled, wrote something on it, and read aloud:
"To the man who said he could go all seven innings… and did it."
We went wild, pumped for Jesse and what the victory meant.
That day, Jesse became a man. Someone saw the strength in him, challenged him, and called it out. He rose to the challenge and earned the respect he deserved.
Though it’s been 25 years, we still talk about that game. Jesse has an incredible dad who invested heavily in him, but sometimes it takes someone outside your inner circle to call out the man in you. That’s what great coaches do—they use challenges to shape boys into men and girls into women.
So, who are you calling the man out of today? And who’s calling it out of you? Iron sharpens iron.
Call the man out of someone today—or allow someone to do it for you. Be the one who says they can go the distance... and then prove it.
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17
Oh yeah, 25 years later: Jesse still has the ball and my dad still has the shirt. Don’t tell me it doesn’t mean something.
