It used to be that our society placed a great deal of emphasis on "being a man." Exponents of this were John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway.
Hemingway was perhaps our most popular author at one time. He had men displaying their courage against others, the elements, or against a bull where both antagonists were male.
He also promoted the manly art of self-defense where men fought each other in a prize ring "mano-a-mano" until there was a winner. Boxing was popular the first half of the 20th century as men gathered around the radio or television to watch and listen to the Friday Night Fights. The sponsor was Gillette Blue Blades for men.
As our society changed, prize fighting became less important. And when Mohammad Ali dies, boxing will have lost its last world-wide figure. I also bet there are not 50 people in Southeastern Minnesota who can name boxing’s heavyweight champion.
And, would you believe they even have women boxing in the Olympics? I can imagine what the old boys who held the spit-bucket for their fighters would think of that. Rocky Balboa’s manager Mickey would throw up his hands in disgust.
Certain things were expected if you were a man. If you were sick, you were expected to get up and go to work. Now, not so much.
As our society headed toward the latter part of the century, men were expected to become more sensitive. Look at Alan Alda.s Hawkeye in M*A*S*H* — he was just about the epitome of the sensitive caring man. Now most people are not against men becoming more caring, but I can imagine how Hemingway would have viewed it.
However, since M*A*S*H*, the pendulum has swung the other way and men are again being appreciated for masculine qualities. In fact, just recently I saw a study how children need men for role models.
On that positive note, I would like to say that our Minnesota Twins have displayed manly traits. They have showed up every day and are playing with courage and determination.
When the Twins lost four in a row they still came out the next day with grit in their gizzards and won. They lost four in a row due to bad pitching, but the next day, they fought to win. It’s easy to put down a losing pitcher, but it takes a certain amount of courage to keep coming back and trying to pitch well.
The player I admired most this year is Justin Morneau. It has taken a great deal of courage to go out there day after day knowing that one play could be his last. He could have taken an easier route.
Gardenhire had started playing him as a designated hitter. Then, Morneau would not have to play in the field and be subject to collisions at first base.
He chose to play and has played well. I’m glad Ryan didn’t trade him to the Dodgers.
From the actions of Morneau and others, it appears that while men may not be acting quite as Ernest Hemingway would have us act, we are a long long ways from Ashley Wilkes in "Gone with the Wind." Us guys are doing pretty well.
I don’t mean to imply that women are not courageous too. If men had to have the babies, there would be a definite dip in population growth.
