While I like sports, I have many friends who love them. Sportsmanship is important in the world of sports. The Merriam Webster’s Intermediate Dictionary defines the word this way, “fair play, respect for opponents, and gracious behavior in winning or losing.”
Though I like that definition, many years ago I was more moved by the way Grant Whybark, a sophomore at the University of St. Francis, defined it by his unselfish actions.
Whybark was a fine golfer. In fact, he was on the team which won the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship. He was on track to also win the tournament’s individual honors. His closest competitor was Seth Doran, a competitor from Olivet Nazarene College. The winning team and the individual tournament winner were to proceed to the NAIA National Championship.
When Whybark learned if he won the tournament his friend Seth would be ineligible to play in the national championship he did something extremely unusual in the world of sports. Whybark stood over his tee shot on the first playoff hole, looked down the course and hit the ball 40 yards right of the fairway. His intentional bad shot, combined with the fact that his friend made par, assured both made it to the nationals.
Asked later why he threw the hole Whybark explained, “We all know Seth very well, and he not only is a very good player, but a great person as well. He’s a senior and had never been to nationals. Somehow, it just wasn’t in my heart to try to knock him out. I think some people were surprised, but my team knew what I was doing… My goal from the start was to get (to nationals) with my team. I had already done that.”