This is a story that I came across which resonates with me and I want to share it with my readers.
“In December 1937, a match between Chelsea and Charlton foot ball clubs at the Stamford Bridge stadium London was stopped in the 60th minute due to heavy fog.
Charlton’s legendary goal keeper Sam Bartram remained unaware and kept on guarding the goal 15 minutes after the game had stopped, as he did not hear the referee’s whistle because of the crowd behind his goal post.
He stood there with his arms out stretched and completely focused, looking forward so as not to be surprised by the opponent’s shots.
Fifteen minutes later, when the stadium police approached him and informed him that the match had been abandoned, Sam Bartram said these famous words with great sorrow,
*”How sad that my friends forgot me when I was guarding their goal post.”*
Bartram thought his team was attacking and not allowing the opposing team to get close to the goal post.
*There are so many players in the field of life whose goal post one defends with enthusiasm and support, but when the situation becomes like a wave of fog, they are promptly forgotten..let us be more considerate.
Courtesy Ratnadeep Saksena”
I thank Neeraj K. Yajnik who shared this story in Facebook.
Nice.. Sam was committed to his task….
Yes but, I have heard less charitable observations too. Football fans of the UK are queer birds.
wow, feel real sorry for the goalie and can understand how he felt that no one rushed down to assist him back to their club rooms. I wonder if they thought “where is Sam?”
The goalie is usually the last one anyone notices!
Such a timely reminder to be thoughtful and think of others… especially those who have enabled us to have the good that we have.
Yes. That is the message that I wanted to share via that story.
I love that hapless goalie! What loyalty! What faith! What team spirit! Thank you for a great story, Rummuser.
Entirely my pleasure Diane.
I have mixed feelings about that one. Yes, the loyalty is impressive and certainly we need to be more grateful for the people in our lives. But, good grief! How oblivious could one person be to not notice that game had ended?
I have been to a couple of football matches in the UK during fog and can understand the confusion.
I hope I always remember. My husband is the one who would be taking for granted because he is so silently and sweetly helps me throughout the day that it becomes my norm. I would certainly miss him, though. I wouldn’t make it to the dressing room without him.
Such stories do act as reminders to us to be considerate to others in our own actions.