Miles, Memory, and the Moments We Almost Miss

By Chris Major

President, Novato Chess Club

#11 Miles McAfee

There are moments in life that don’t feel big when they start.

They feel like a nudge. A thought. A name you can’t shake.

For me, that name was Miles.

For 17 years, I kept telling his story. Sharing a photo. Posting. Writing. Reminding people of what he had done—not just statistically, but as a leader, a builder, a man who changed lives through the game of baseball.

And for 17 years… nothing happened.

Until now.

The Weight of Recognition

This month, something remarkable finally took place.

Miles’ number is being retired.

Not quietly. Not slipped in between innings while people grab snacks.

They’re doing it right.

They went back into the archives. They pulled the photos. They told the story. They honored the truth.

And when I saw the article—the photo I’ve been sharing for nearly two decades front and center—it hit me:

This didn’t happen overnight.

This was persistence.

This was endurance.

This was refusing to let something meaningful be forgotten.

What Miles Represents

Let’s be clear about something.

Miles wasn’t just a coach.

In eight years, he had 12 players sign Major League contracts. Five made it all the way. He recruited talent like Ricky Henderson and helped build something that stood for decades.

He led the program in wins—for 45 years.

Forty-five.

And yet… for a long time, the recognition didn’t match the impact.

That’s the part that sticks with me.

Because it forces a harder question:

How often do we let greatness slip by because it doesn’t fit the narrative we’re comfortable telling?

The Deeper Lesson

This isn’t just about baseball.

It’s about values.

Institutions talk about mission. They put words on paper—service, community, opportunity.

But eventually, those words get tested.

Do you live them?

Or do you walk past them?

As a young man, I remember hearing how Martin Luther King Jr. challenged people to live up to their own ideals—to use their words as a mirror.

That stayed with me.

Because that’s exactly what this moment is.

A mirror.

The Long Game

Here’s what most people don’t see:

This didn’t happen because of one conversation.

It happened because of thousands of small actions:

• Posts on social media

• Conversations that didn’t go anywhere

• People who disagreed

• People who walked away

• Years where it felt like nothing was changing

And still… you keep going.

Because if something is true, and something matters, time is not your enemy.

Time is your ally—if you’re willing to stay in the fight.

From Miles to the World

At the same time this is happening, something else is unfolding.

Six kids in Kenya—kids who were given chessboards years ago—have now qualified for the African Chess Championships in Uganda.

Six.

And now the question becomes: how do they get there?

That’s the moment that hits you.

Because it’s easy to feel good about what you’ve done… until you realize there’s more to do.

That’s the shift.

From recognition… to responsibility.

The Thread That Connects It All

Miles.

Kenya.

Ukraine.

Chicago.

These aren’t separate stories.

They’re the same story.

They’re about seeing value where others overlook it.

About staying committed when it’s inconvenient.

About choosing to act instead of just observe.

And maybe most importantly—

They’re about not missing the moment you’re standing in.

Don’t Wait 45 Years

Here’s the truth:

There are “Miles” in your life right now.

People doing meaningful work. Building something real. Changing lives quietly.

The question isn’t whether they deserve recognition.

The question is whether you’re paying attention.

Because if you’re not…

You might spend the next 20 years trying to correct what you could have honored today.

For more details about Coach Miles, please read from St. Mary's Newscenter: Recognizing Coach Miles McAfee, a Boundary-Breaking Champion of ‘Hard-Nosed Baseball’

– Chris Major

Novato Chess Club

#PeaceThroughChess #NovatoChessClub #RotaryInternational #Kharkiv #ChessForPeace #ServeToChangeLives