Felipe Alou — Finding
Christ
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
I am a Christian today because of the faithfulness of a friend. His name is Roque Martinez — we went to school together in the Dominican Republic. In those days all I thought about was baseball and my dream of becoming a big league player.
Roque secured a job in Canada in 1954. When he came back a year or two later, he told me he had gone to a church in Canada and become a believer. I was glad to see him after his long absence, but I was a bit embarrassed by his new enthusiasm. Religion for me was going to church and keeping out of trouble. But not much more.
In 1956 my break came and I went to Florida to play in the state league there. Before I left, Roque gave me a Spanish Bible and told me to read it. Because I had
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promised, I did read it. But it was like a story about someone else — not something real.
During the next two years, I played baseball with all my heart. My one ambition was to reach the top. It was all I lived for.
Each time I came home to the Dominican Republic for the winter season, my friend was waiting. Each time he would tell me that he had been praying for me. And each time he would ask me if I had become a Christian.
I had deep affection for Roque and appreciated his prayers. But how could I tell him that baseball, not religion, was the important thing in my life? Another thing made it hard for me to be frank. As a concrete worker in the Dominican Republic, Roque made barely enough to live on. And by contrast, as a minor league baseball player in the United States, I was living like a king.
Then, in June of 1958 the news came that I had been waiting a lifetime for. I was playing Triple A ball in Seattle, Washington, when the Giants notified me that I would be flown down to San Francisco the next day to play my first major league game. I was being moved up to the majors at last!
At the same time a telegram came to me from Roque. In it he said that he had prayed two things: that I would become a big league player; and that before I played my first major league game, I would become a Christian. In the same telegram he mentioned Proverbs 3:3-7. I opened my Bible and read, "Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil."
Oddly enough, it was not the truth of this passage that so deeply affected me at this time. It was the knowledge of how much in actual cash that long telegram must have cost my poor friend in the far-off
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Caribbean! In spite of the hardship and privation of his life, he had sent an expensive telegram 3000 miles to a friend to tell him about a prayer!
I flew down to San Francisco, but it rained and the game was postponed one day. I spent most of that rainy day in my hotel room staring at that telegram. Then at last, I got down on my knees and gave myself to the Lord.
The next day, June 8, 1958, I played my first game as a major leaguer — and as a Christian.
Roque's prayers had been answered.
During the next few days, so new in the faith and with so many questions, I hardly knew where to turn. But God led me to Al Worthington, a pitcher for the Giants. And Al helped me and answered many of my questions.
I wrote home right away to my friends and relatives, telling them of my conversion. And when I returned home that winter, I told everyone I could about my new life in Christ. I found out, of course, that not everyone wishes to hear about Christ. I experienced ridicule and misunderstanding. But in His strength I held on and maintained my testimony, until my friends became convinced that I was not pretending.
Time passes swiftly. Life is short. The time when I will die is coming soon. I want to be ready.
I want to live right in the meantime as well. Each day I pray that I will keep my temper and behave like a Christian, so that the players and fans will know my true purpose.
Before I became a Christian, I worried about many things. When I went into a batting slump, I was sick about it. Now I wait patiently for my average to come
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up again. I used to worry about traveling in airplanes. Now I trust Him with each trip.
But this trust is nothing I can boast about. I would know nothing at all about it if a Christian friend had not been faithful.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Thank you for friends in the faith who care and pray and witness. Help me to be such a friend to those who know me. I ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
Felipe Alou was an outstanding outfielder from the Dominican Republic; played with the Milwaukee Braves and San Francisco Giants. Advisory Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
