Younger Brother Helps Brian Keselowski Make Daytona 500
By Raymond Rolak
DAYTONA BEACH— When Brian Keselowski qualified for the 53rd running of the Daytona 500 it probably became the feel good motorsports story of the year. So many elements contributed. His father Bob was going to be his crew chief. Even though the operation was underfinanced, the #92 Dodge team was on top of the world. Their K-Racing Team got some late sponsorship from Detroit based Discount Tire. That surely helped but they didn’t even have hotel rooms. Then, the younger brother contributed in a big way.
Brian, 29, is the older brother of NASCAR sensation Brad Keselowski, 26. “I’m here on a credit card and a prayer,” said Brian. On the last day of qualifying he got into the Daytona 500 with some help and a push from his younger brother. Brad had qualified already in the Penske Dodge #2 car. During a qualifying race, he found himself behind his brother Brian and pushed the #92 car up to the front of the pack and across the finish.
Brian had an emotional moment when he stopped on pit road and realized he had made the big dance. He then got a hug from his younger brother. Kay, their mom, came up a few minutes later to join the celebration. Kay Keselowski said, “I have been doing this for thirty years. I went to Brian first because I figured he needed the support. Then I went back to Brad’s motor home. He walked in and I said, ‘Brad, you are my hero.’ And he just goes, ‘I try, Mom.’”
Later Brad added, “He made good moves (Brian). He found the right holes and used ’em right. Brian has got some experience at this — more than people think. I’m really proud of him. He did a great job.”
The Keselowski’s, both Rochester Hills, Michigan natives, have a racing pedigree. Their father raced in the ARCA series in the 70’s and Uncle Ron raced in four -Daytona 500’s. 2007 Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick said. “Usually, one thing leads to another. The Keselowski family, you couldn’t ask for better people.”
Brad has had great success in the #22 Penske Dodge last year. In fact, he won the Nationwide Series point championship last season. He was also named the Most Popular Driver for the third consecutive year. Penske Racing upgraded Brad to the #2 Miller Lite Dodge for the Daytona 500.
Veteran driver Joe Nemechek of the #87 Toyota car said, “The Keselowski brothers provided the entire sport with a feel-good moment. All the guys in the garage know what Brian has to work with. To make this race is awesome.” The older Keselowski got some additional sponsorship for his #92 car from the Golden Corral restaurant chain.
Proud father, Bob Keselowski said, “Coming in we thought, No matter what, this is going to be a great opportunity for Brian to run at Daytona with the big boys.” Brad got his experience on Michigan short tracks and now he is in the major leagues of motorsports.
The Daytona 500 is the first big NASCAR race of the year and it is the biggest race of the season. This is the only sport in which the biggest event is at the beginning and it carries by far the largest purse. The race is the direct successor of shorter beach races held on Daytona Beach in the late 40’s and early 50’s.
With over 180,000 in attendance at the Daytona International Raceway, the euphoria did not last long. On the 29th lap, a 15-car monster wreck took out Brian Keselowski. He was up high on the track and another rookie, Andy Lally #71 came up spinning out of control and ended the day for #92. The original mess was caused by Michael Waltrip #15 and Dave Reutimann #00. It was a two car drafting procedure that went astray.
Rookie Trevor Bayne ended up winning with the #21 Ford. It was a white knuckle finish with four cars having a chance to slingshot into the lead. In fact, Ford cars finished 1-2-3 and Edsel Ford, along with Ford execs visited in ‘Garage Alley’ during Speed Week.
Brian and K-Racing Team got a purse of $273,663.00 for starting in the big race.
Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing had the Miller Lite Dodge in contention. He led for nine laps. On lap 167 he got contact from Robby Gordon’s Dodge #31 and was sent into the outside wall. The younger Keselowski had to settle for a 29th-place finish.
The Daytona International Speedway had been recently resurfaced and was fast. Drivers figured out that by hooking up in two-car packs and drafting it was a faster way around the course.
On the third lap, the spectators at Daytona International Raceway stood in silence, with three fingers raised toward the sky. This was a tribute to the late Dale Earnhardt. The acknowledgement marked the 10-year anniversary of Earnhardt’s fatal accident at the famous track.
Jack Hege was honored again as he was previously presented to the driver’s at the pre-race meeting. He has been to all 52 Daytona 500 races as a spectator. Afterwards the drivers and guests had an opportunity to attend the traditional chapel service.
NASCAR announced that next year’s Daytona 500 race will be pushed back by a week to Sunday, February 26, 2012.
Michigan International Speedway will host NASCAR twice, June 18-19 and August 20-21. Chicago Speedway will race September 18-19.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series now heads out to Phoenix International Raceway for next weekend’s Subway Fresh Fit 500. The Phoenix Cup action gets under way on Friday with practice sessions. Saturday’s 1:40 P.M. single round of qualifying will determine the entire 43-car starting field. Sunday’s 312-lap, 312-mile (500 kilometer) race is scheduled to start at 1:00 P.M. local time with live coverage on FOX-TV and MRN Radio.
The Statute of Kalisz, labeled “The Jewish Magna Carta,” was signed in 1264 by Bolesław the Pious, Grand Duke of Poland. The statute guaranteed Jewish liberties and became the basis for the development of Jewish sanctuary in Poland. The Statute allowed for the creation of an autonomous Yiddish speaking Jewish nation within Poland’s borders, governed by Talmudic Law (until 1795, and dissolved with the partitions of Poland between Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Russia). The Statute established Jewish Courts and a special tribunal for the hearing of matters involving Christians and Jews. Jews were exempt from slavery and serfdom, had no obligation for the defense of Poland, and were not required to speak Polish. By 1549, the Jewish population of Poland exceeded 200,000.
From the Library of Congress Exhibition, Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom
Jefferson quoted: “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
First Reading: Leviticus 19:1-2,17-18
Psalm: Ps 103:1-4,8,10,12-13
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Leviticus:
The Book of Leviticus may seem like one of the most boring books in the Bible. It is a book of laws, rules and regulations given to Moses concerning how people should live. If we look at this as just a book of laws we will get bored, we will get frustrated, we will wonder why God bothered with some of this.
What we need to have in our heats as we study this book is the sentence found in the second verse from today’s reading: “Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.” The book is about what it takes to be holy, to approach God in His temple, prepared to meet Him. God asks us to meet Him in a state of personal and communal holiness and perfection.
Let’s remember that, we are going to meet God, and we need to be holy to do it.
Where’s God:
I have a question, Where does God live?
What do we hear: God lives in heaven. God is everywhere. God is with us.
Fr. Stephen Freeman recently wrote a book which will be available starting March 1st, , “Everywhere Present: Christianity in a One-Storey Universe.”
He asks that we think about our encounter with God, how we perceive Him, how we perceive our world. How we encounter Him, how we encounter our world. If God dwells in heaven, on a spiritual plane, somewhere we cannot see or know, He dwells apart from us. He lives upstairs. We live in a natural world where we try to make sense of how stuff works, why rain falls, why the sky is blue, why the energy of atoms can be configured in so many different ways that they make up all we see. We live downstairs.
In the world we have science, medicine, arts, entertainment. Sure, we acknowledge God, but He is in the spiritual realm in a place we can’t quite touch. When we chance across the holy, and receive communion, or get splashed with holy water, or get the cross we have, on the chain around our necks, blessed, we briefly touch on the spiritual world, but don’t quite go there. We don’t dive into it. God isn’t really encountered in the two storey world because God is upstairs and we are downstairs.
Think how Hollywood loves to use the spiritual realm to scare us, to heighten our senses. We get demons, exorcists, all sorts of spooky stuff, and in the process we recognize a god, who lives apart from us, upstairs in the spiritual realm, who is only there to do magical and spooky stuff, raising the dead, healing the sick, creating these well publicized tourist attractions called apparitions.
God is there, we are here, God and the world are apart, and we’re no more holy and perfect for it. In fact, we are going backwards.
Remember, we are going to meet God, and we need to be holy to do it. How do we get there?
Getting there:
Leviticus tells us that to get there, to become holy and perfect, we are to be like God. We are to be holy like He is holy. We should not hate outwardly or in our hearts, because we are to be like God who bears no hatred. We shouldn’t take revenge or cherish grudges against anyone, Because we are to be like God who doesn’t seek revenge and who doesn’t bear grudges. We are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, because if we are like God, we must love like He does.
St. Paul goes on to tell us that we are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in us. Not just lives with us, like a roommate, The Spirit doesn’t stop by every Sunday like an invited guest, He dwells in us, lives in us, in our hearts, in our hands, in our minds, in every aspect of who we are as people. He is there when we wake and when we sleep, when we work, and pray, and eat. He is there when we cry, and laugh, and even when we sin. He is right there in us and with us continuously calling us to be holy and perfect as I am holy and perfect.
Is God crazy?
Now we need to pause, and look at ourselves. My first question would be, Is God crazy? God wants me to become like Him? But He lives upstairs on the spiritual plane, sure He’s everywhere, but that’s just like saying He’s nowhere. I can’t see Him or grasp Him, or be with Him, He’s just too different, too far away, too spooky. And perfect! I’m the farthest thing from perfect. I sin. Maybe I gamble, or eat, or drink, or smoke, or yell at the kids, or get frustrated with co-workers and annoying drivers a little too much, but perfect and holy, no. What does the Man Upstairs expect from me?
“Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.”
Jesus:
The Gospel of St. John begins with a beautiful series of phrases about the coming of Jesus. At verse 14 we find: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.” The Word became flesh, the Word is Jesus, the Son of God, His Word sent forth who existed from all eternity. The Word became flesh, became human, and came to dwell with us. Not as a buddy, roommate, friend, traveling companion, doer of spooky miracle things, but as a man to dwell, to share in the world, with us.
God came to dwell with us. Dwelling with us He was tempted, He bore infirmities, He was like His brethren, He stooped and washed feet, He cried over Jerusalem and was moved to sorrow at the death of His friend Lazarus. He suffered and He died. He dwelt with us to raise us to holiness and perfection. He dwelt with us to show us the way to what was possible, here, now, on earth, in the present.
He teaches us:
Jesus teaches us how to live like God lives, how to be holy and perfect like God in today’s Gospel. The Message translation of the bible makes Jesus’ words very plain:
‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it.
If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it.
If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer.
This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
Jesus is teaching us that the requirement for meeting God is to be holy and perfect like He is. By doing these everyday, and sometimes difficult things, we will reach the holiness and perfection of God.
Where’s God?
Do any of you live in a two storey house, or an apartment building. If you do, you know what it like to have someone living upstairs. You kind of know they are there. Sometimes you hear them clunking about, maybe a little music or the TV, and once and a while you encounter them in the hallway. You nod and whisper hello.
Isn’t that how we treat God? Isn’t He that upstairs neighbor we never really see? Once and a while we encounter Him, brief miraculous seconds, in communion, when we feel particularly loved, or when we are scared. In those brief encounters a whispered prayer, a little hello and a nod to the upstairs neighbor.
Fr. Freeman’s book and today’s readings talk about a One-Storey Universe. God isn’t up there, He’s here. He dwells with us, in the same apartment, on the same floor, at the same supper table, in the same car on the way to and fro. We have to realize His presence in our lives and in our world. We have to encounter God full on every day as part of and essential to our lives. He isn’t going away. God isn’t hiding in heaven. God doesn’t dwell apart from us on a far away spiritual plane, upstairs, but is here, present and active, dwelling with us in this time and place. We need to immerse ourselves in Him.
When we come to communion today, let’s not nibble at God or quietly let Him dissolve on our tongues, because its not a magical spooky pill. It is God’s body given to us as food – EAT! When we bless ourselves on the way into or out of church, let’s grab a handful of that holy water and pour it over our heads, knowing that Jesus washed His disciples feet with that water, was immersed in that water at baptism, and that water flowed out of His side. Cherish it and bathe in it! When we confess, let us cry over our sins, and know that God loves us so much He has forgotten them. When we hear the sacrament of the Word, let us learn from it, and learn to live the way God lives. Completely feel and know that God is here, downstairs with us.
Then, let us go out, immersed in God, fed by God, dwelling with God, understanding God, and forgiven by God — to forgive others, wash others, baptize others, feed others, teach others. God is here with us and them, not somewhere else. As we do this, as we live with our God who lives with us, we — will — be — changed. We will become more and more holy, more and more perfect, and we will meet God. Amen.
Sportsmen Get Long Overdue Honor
By Raymond Rolak
Wash. D.C.– It took the encouragement of some U.S. Senators and the entire ‘Cardinal Nation’ but Stan Musial was finally awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was included with a very distinguished group. President Barack Obama presented to the 90 year old Musial in the East Room of the White House. Musial was one of 15 recipients of the medal and one of two sports greats. Also honored was Boston Celtics Hall of Famer, Bill Russell.
Musial and Russell were included with a very distinguished group including former U. S. President George H.W. Bush. Interestingly, the senior President Bush, 86, had played baseball at Yale and participated in the NCAA finals in 1947 and 1948. The former collegiate first baseman talked about the great experiences he had at the first College World Series. The first two CWS were at Hyames Field on the campus of Western Michigan University. Yale had been runners-up to California and USC in 47 and 48, respectively. “We got our picture taken with Babe Ruth and I thought that was heady stuff but here I am with Stan-the-Man,” said the former President. “I am so honored to be here today.”
Also receiving the award were former President George H.W. Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, John H. Adams, Maya Angelou and financier Warren Buffett. Also included were Jasper Johns, Gerda Weismann Klein, Dr. Tom Little, Sylvia Mendez, Jean Kennedy Smith, John J. Sweeney and world renown musician Yo-Yo Ma.
President Bush, who played baseball at Yale, kept a George McQuinn style first baseman’s glove in the Oval Office desk drawer when he was in the White House. “When I was stressed, I would pull it out and pound on it,” said the former President.
Musial, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1969 and the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame (NPASHF) in 1973 was humbled. Seated with Lil, his wife of over 70 years, Musial said, “I am proud to be a Cardinal.”
Russell was the centerpiece of 11 championship seasons for the Celtics. Also, he won two NCAA basketball championships at the University of San Francisco. One of Russell’s high school teammates in Oakland, California was future baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson.
Russell, who also coached for the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA, was also a national basketball broadcaster. He complimented President Obama about reaching the top of his field based on intelligence, ingenuity and hard work.
Throughout the 2010 baseball season, thousands of Cardinals fans from around the world took part in the team’s social-media based ‘Stand for Stan’ campaign. The players also joined in the campaign. “For us, Stan embodies all that is good about the game of baseball and what it means to be a St. Louis Cardinal,” wrote the 2010 Cardinals players in a letter to President Obama supporting Musial for the Medal of Freedom. “Stan is a role model for players and fans alike, embodying the qualities of good sportsmanship, self-discipline, hard work, consistency, grace, humility and excellence.”
The grass roots effort blossomed and helped the decision of the President regarding Musial. Ron Watermon of the St. Louis Cardinals was the point man for the ‘Stand for Stan’ project. Cardinal supporters and Musial admirers were encouraged to take their picture of with the caricature of the ‘Stand for Stan’ and forward the photo’s on. Folks were lobbying and encouraging others in the effort with their picture of ‘Stand for Stan’. “The day we started the project, the team (Cardinals) was in San Diego, and there were fans already in the stadium with ‘Stand for Stan’ posters,” said Watermon. “It took a life of its own and just grew.”
The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. It is bestowed to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the best interests of the United States, to world peace or to cultural or other significant public endeavors. Though individuals may be honored for singular acts of momentous achievement, it is generally presented for a lifetime of service or at the conclusion of a distinguished career. It was long overdue for Musial.
Musial joins other baseball greats who have been awarded the Medal of Freedom, including Hank Aaron (2005), Roberto Clemente (2003), Joe DiMaggio (1977), Buck O’Neil (2006), Frank Robinson (2005), Jackie Robinson (1984) and Ted Williams (1991).
A Pennsylvania native, Musial enjoyed a 22-year Major League Baseball career as an outfielder and first baseman with the Cardinals. He started out as a promising pitcher. With his unorthodox coiled stance, he batted .300 or better in each of his first 16 seasons and finished with a .331 career batting average. His average ranks 32nd all-time in baseball history and fifth highest in Cardinals history.
Musial won the National League batting title seven times. He was a three-time National League Most Valuable Player (1943, 1946 and 1948), accumulated a career total of 3,630 hits and 475 home runs.
Musial also was on three World Series teams as a player and one as the Cards’ general manager. His great sports appeal was national in scope. Musial became part of the fabric of American culture, when in 1946 the spectators in Brooklyn, New York gave him his now famous nickname, ‘THE MAN’.
Musial recalled his induction into the NPASHF in 1973 and the anniversary celebration of the Museum 25 years later. He remembered fondly regaling the audience with his harmonica. “Ray, Polish food is still my favorite,” he added while smiling. “I watched the 2006 series on TV,” referring to the Tigers-Cards matchup.
Off the field, Musial’s accomplishments are still impressive. Other activities and charities fond to Musial are the USO, Senior Olympics, the Boy Scouts, the Crippled Society of St. Louis, and Shelter the Children. He always has stayed connected to baseball and operated a hotel in retirement and lent his name to a restaurant in suburban St. Louis.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, missing the entire 1945 season. While still playing he recognized the great importance of off season training and nutrition. In 1959 Musial hired a personal trainer to get his hitting eye back on stroke. He was awarded Comeback Player of the Year in 1962 when he hit .330 at age 41. After his playing days he served as chairman of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s President’s Council on Physical Fitness from 1964 to 1967.
Musial wholeheartedly helped the growth of Little League baseball in Poland and has acted as an unofficial emissary to Poland. He was awarded the Cavalier Cross of the Order of Merit, the Polish Government’s highest civilian honor.
The Medal of Freedom was established in 1945 by President Harry S. Truman to honor service during World War II. The medal was re-established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy and the scope by which it is awarded was broadened.
“Throughout his life, Stan has never sought recognition for his good works,”’ said Cardinals Chairman William DeWitt Jr. in a released statement. “Stan has been a true role model exemplifying the humility, grace and generosity we so desperately need to see in our American sports heroes.”
Musial’s decency as a gentleman was legendary. Musial stood by his beliefs of treating people right. In 1947 when some Cardinals wanted to boycott an upcoming game against the Brooklyn Dodgers because they had African-American Jackie Robinson on their roster, he took action. Unaffected by the pressure, Musial adamantly refused to follow suit. The Cardinals played the game, a testament to the respect he commanded in the clubhouse. He was also highly valued for mentoring rookies with advice and tips. He would include ‘the rooks’ for dinner invites when traveling on the road. Years later, Hank Aaron said that Stan Musial was one of his favorite Major League players because he treated all men equally and with dignity.
Musial was the first player in Cardinals history to have his uniform number retired and in 1969 won first-ballot election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. On Oct. 2, more than 39,000 fans paid tribute to Musial at ‘Stan for Stan’ Day at Busch Stadium.
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said, “On behalf of all of Major League Baseball, I am truly thrilled that The White House has honored Stan Musial with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Stan Musial is an extraordinary human being, a great American and one of the best players in the history of the game. He has long been a treasure of St. Louis, but he represents all the best of our national pastime. Today, our game salutes Stan Musial on this highest honor from our country.”
I joked with Bill Russell that Musial had been offered a basketball scholarship in 1938 to the University of Pittsburg. “Russell smiled, “I would have gotten more boards.” The normally very intense Russell was very gracious and we compared some University of San Francisco and University of Detroit sports stories. We shared about the Jesuit Basketball Initiative, a new promotion to highlight Jesuit colleges that have varsity men’s and women’s basketball programs. Russell had as two of his guests, football great Jim Brown and baseball Hall of Famer Joe Morgan.
There is a statue of ‘Stan the Man’ outside of Bush Stadium in St. Louis. It is inscribed with this quote by former baseball executive Ford Frick, “Here stands baseball’s warrior. Here stands baseball’s perfect knight.”
Editors Note: Raymond Rolak is a Sports Writer and was a past Chairman of the NPASHF.
