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“One of the cricketeers asked Baba to bless the team, so that they could put up a good show in England. Baba then told one of the mandali to give the players a tip—that they should embrace Him with all their hearts and love, and they would be sure to take His Love with them to England. Baba blessed them all and said, “Do not be nervous, because of your show with the West Indies lately. If you play with one heart, My Love will help you to win at least one test and on the whole you will put up a better show than you did with the West Indies. But all will depend on your love for me'.”*
In going to England to represent India in the field of sport, you have also the unique opportunity of yourselves practicing, and of conveying to the people there, the great spiritual lessons of concentration and love. When you take the field, if you play as eleven men with one heart, each enjoying excellence of performance in another player as he would in himself, whether that player is on your side, or on the side of the opposing team, and so eliminating feelings of jealousy, anger and pride which so often mar sport—you will not only be entertaining the spectators, but demonstrating the real spirit of sportsmanship. True sportsmanship is concentrated ability, enlivened with appreciation of the performance of others. And when this is manifested, everyone, both players and spectators, receives spiritual upliftment as well as good entertainment.
Some of you are "all-rounders." I am the greatest spiritual "all-rounder" of all times, because I feel equally at home with saints, yogis, philosophers and cricketeers, as well as with so-called sinners and scoundrels. I give you my blessing that in all your actions you show forth the spirit of love.
"Give My Love to All." These were Baba's words as we parted at Poona on May 24, 1959.
But how to convey the love of Baba? Words are paltry bearers of such love. As Adi put it, "We don't need to read about Baba. We have Him." Nevertheless, I'll try to share with you my being with Baba.
*P. S.: They won!
["They won some of the County matches"-added here from ERRATA Vol 6 No 3 page 35-webmaster JK]
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