ABRAHAM SHEPPARD

Two Great Americans were born on February 12th

Abraham Lincoln

and John Sheppard (on the left hand side of the picture below)

A coincidence?

I think not

Seeing that they share the same birthday, to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the birth of arguably our greatest president and the 12345678.... ugh .. lets not give away John's age, let's compare Honest Abe to Honest Sheppard

Top Ten Comparisons Between Abraham Lincoln and John Sheppard

10. Lincoln was the first president to be assassinated.

John Sheppard was almost wacked several teams in softball for driving league officials, umpires, opponents, and teammates crazy.

Edge : John Sheppard - he's still alive

9. Lincoln was an animal lover.
John Sheppard is an animal lover as he walks his dog Mollie everyday.

Edge : Tie

8. Lincoln was the tallest U.S. president.
John has been called many things, but tall is not one of them.

Edge: Honest Abe

7. John Wilkes Booth's brother saved the life of Lincoln's son.
Crazy the brother of the guy who wacked Lincoln saved Lincoln's son.
Weird.

In softball, John's one time nemesis, Dio Jackson (to the right above), is now his softball ally. Weird.

Edge : John Sheppard - he's still alive

6. Lincoln was an avid reader and largely self-educated.

John Sheppard keeps one of the most meticulous score books in softball.

Edge : Close, but I will go with john Sheppard b/c I have bad handwriting and admire neat penmanship.

5. Dealing with Difficult Issues

Lincoln first encountered slavery as a boat hand on the Mississippi

In 1831, Abraham Lincoln and two others were hired to take a flatboat full of cargo down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, La. Denton Offutt, a Kentucky trader and speculator, paid them 50 cents a day plus a $60 fee. According to popular legend, Lincoln saw his first slave auction while on this trip. Referring to the practice of slavery, he is said to have declared at the time, "If I ever get a chance to hit that thing, I'll hit it hard."

John Sheppard has encountered illegal pitching in many leagues and has been an advocate of its removal.

Edge: Abe. Civil Rights is hard to beat dude

4. Lincoln's in-laws disapproved of him. They hated his anti-slavery stance.

When John Shepard first came to Inwood I disapproved of him.
He drove me crazy at first, but through the years that opinion has changed. He is a friend

Edge: John Sheppard. Softball is more important than in laws.

3. Lincoln's debating skills first earned him national recognition.
John arguing, bitching, and sore loser desire to winner earned him recognition

Edge: Abe - I mean he did write The Gettysburg Address.
Also, Abe never got thrown out of a debate.

However, Sheppard has gotten tossed out of games on occasion.

2. Leadership
Both are great leaders and charismatic personalities.
Edge : John Sheppard b/c he can lead players while he is drunk

and the Number One Comparison between Abraham Lincoln and John Sheppard

1. Perseverance

The difference between history's boldest accomplishments and its most staggering failures is often, simply, the diligent will to Persevere.

The following failures could not stop Abraham Lincoln:

*1831 – Failed in business

1832 – Defeated for legislature1833

– Again failed in business 1834

– Elected to legislature 1835

– Sweetheart died 1836

– Had a nervous breakdown 1838

– Defeated for speaker 1840

– Defeated for elector 1843

– Defeated for Congress 1846

– Elected for Congress 1848

– Defeated for Congress 1855

– Defeated for Senate 1856

– Defeated for Vice-President 1858

– Defeated for Senate1860

but On November 6, 1860, Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United States,

He was defeated more times than he won, but that did not mean he was a failure.

Remember, that failures are only permanent if we stop trying.

he said "I believe the only real failure, is when you stop trying"

The only way to deal with failure is to learn from it and move on

OK John didn't become president like Abe, but he has dealt with many ups and downs in softball to win many championships and great memories.

Happy Birthday CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!