It's very rare that I pick up a newspaper and read a sentence that leaves me shaking my head and muttering, "What in the heckfire did that mean?"
But I would like GetReligion readers to join me in pondering one such case, which took place the other day in the Washington Post sports section, of all places. I read this on the MARC train, tore the clip out and then it got buried in my shoulder bag. It showed up this morning.
This was an ordinary story last week about a game between the Baltimore Orioles and Satan's own team, the New York Yankees. I mention the potential role of Satan, because the bizarre sentence in question appears to call down the wrath of God on a Yankee player. At least, that is one possible interpretation.
Ready? Here we go, starting right at the top:
All the way from left field in cavernous Yankee Stadium, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Luke Scott heard the thud in the third inning, when pitcher Daniel Cabrera's fastball hit the left hand of New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. And as the Yankees' captain clutched his bruised hand, Scott said he lowered his head and prayed.
"For the Lord to hit his hands quickly," said Scott, who can regularly be seen reading from the Bible in his locker. "I know that's a tough thing."
Now isn't that bizarre? But that's what the story says, right there in the newspaper clipping on my desk.
This Bible-reading Christian outfielder prayed for God to HIT the hands of the Yankee superstar?
Could that possible be right? Who could possibly think that this is what Scott said? What do you think that sentence means?
As it turns out, I have withheld vital information from you. As it turns out, that crucial quote has now been changed on the Post website, but changed without a correction being attached to it to show that an error had ever been made. Thus, the passage now reads:
And as the Yankees' captain clutched his bruised hand, Scott said he lowered his head and prayed.
"For the Lord to heal his hands quickly," said Scott, who can regularly be seen reading from the Bible in his locker. "I know that's a tough thing."
Hit vs. heal. You know, that makes a difference in the meaning of the sentence.