As a coach there’s an absolute with all I work with … you must reach outside yourself with your aspirations, desires, and define your end game. Life with purpose is as essential as the air we breathe. Gives us a vibrancy that colors the journey. This comes naturally with some. Less so with others. But purpose and growth are the essence of why we’re here. God’s call. Dave Montgomery died on May 8th (See Blogpost “Monty”).

He was a driven guy. His purpose was vibrant, razor sharp. But his passion was like an internal clock … tick tock, tick tock. Quieter, ever present, methodical. Without pretense. Monty’s emotional drive was for the most part internal … it lived inside him. Never too overt. But last summer I learned just how brightly his purpose in life burned within him. In a recent post I wrote about our golf game together last summer. If you’ve not read it, I’d suggest you do so. We rode in a cart together for four hours or so. As we traveled one fairway, Monty … his eyes, glistening, staring forward said this …

”Bobby, I’ve had a great life. So many blessings. Never had a real ‘job’. Just loved every day. In 2008 when we won the World Series I’d been up until all hours of the night. Lots to do. The morning after we won I was exhausted. There was wild excitement! The Phillies were World Champs again! The team insisted I be on the truck that day for the celebration as they rode through the city. Ok. Early on as we worked our way through the streets, we made a right hand turn that changed my life … forever. As the truck worked its way up Broad St, there before us were a million people, lining, filling the streets … up on light poles. All screaming!”

“It was only then I knew … that I had uncovered the true purpose inside me. What my real purpose in life was. It wasn’t to build the best franchise in Major Baseball as I’d thought for years. No, it was to serve the millions before me that day. To elevate the entire city of Philadelphia.”

David went on to speak at high schools, Rotary Clubs … wherever people gathered who wanted to learn more about their champs, and baseball. (They’d also won in 1980. I was there!! In a box next to the dugout for the winning game!) Wherever he could Dave Montgomery shared his incredible knowledge of baseball, the uniqueness of Phillies culture. What it meant to have the privilege to lead a great organization. It had been a moment. A flash in time on a truck. On that glorious day when Monty saw in an instant the purpose he was called to. It was only then he knew …

May be rare for this to happen in this way. But David was a rare person. Unique. Purpose … Purpose. What’s yours? Go to YouTube. Look up the Phillies 2008 World Series celebration. Watch Dave Montgomery accept the WS trophy from Bud Selig, MLB Commissioner. “We are Philadelphia!!” his eyes staring upward as the millions cheered!
David did build one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball. But more than this? He created an energy, an awareness throughout the city of Philadelphia … that the Phillies ARE Philadelphia! As my friend screamed that unforgettable day … “We ARE Philadelphia!!”