Mr. Winters

When I was growing up, Jim Winters was the pitcher on our softball team. Almost every day in the summer, he practiced for about an hour to become better. After Christmas and until the snow went away, he would try to find someplace indoors to work on his technique once a week.

I was the right fielder on the team, but the catcher didn’t want to help Jim in his routine. I was asked and decided to help.

I remember the first time we went over to the backstop at Edithvale School, three blocks from where I lived. For an hour I squatted then stood up. Up and down and up and down I went. By the time I went home, I could barely walk. I was so sore I crawled halfway.

Often we would go to Jim’s house after practice. It was there that I came under the influence of Jim’s father, James K. Winters.

Mr. Winters was a successful lawyer. He eventually became a Queen’s Counsel, a title of honour that was discontinued in Ontario in 1985. This is all stuff I didn’t care about or learned later on in life. To me he was simply Jim’s dad and the closest thing I could observe of what a dad could be.

What I like most about him was the way he analysed situations, especially our softball team. We would be going into a series against a tough opponent and he would weigh all of the evidence and come to the conclusion that we deserved to win more than the other team. It wasn’t just that we were going to win, but it justice was to be done and the sun would rise in the east tomorrow, we had to win. It was as simple as this.

His confidence, encouragement and assurance helped a kid like me who had to work at my self-image. I grew up figuring that I wasn’t worthy of what I desired. I had to be satisfied with what I got. Although I sometimes still fall into this trap, I have gotten into the habit of telling myself that I do deserve the best. But it is more than a habit now. I know it is true. While I know that I am not perfect, I realize that I have been blessed with many talents. Even better, I have the opportunity to share them with others. I’m pretty special!