No question, there are lots of things that can’t be learned in the classroom, there’s much insight and wisdom which won’t be found in a textbook. I know that baseball can provide life experiences that won’t likely be found elsewhere. Learning certainly has no boundaries. But a formal education (be it a four-year college, junior college, vocational/technical training, etc.) can be the path many individuals (including former athletes) need to travel down in order to ensure a stable livelihood. There are exceptions of course, those who bypass college for whatever reason yet become huge successes (maybe in baseball); a college degree does not absolutely guarantee a secure future, but it is the ticket that many must get punched moving forward. And the combination of that formal education along with the lessons learned through life (including baseball) can be very powerful. Granted, things don’t always go as planned, and sometimes that is due to events out of our control, the choices we pursue in life, and, like it or not, the actions of others. How effectively we are able to harness all that happens to us, and channel those experiences towards other goals (including helping others, improving a situation, promoting a worthy issue, etc.), can be a measure of our makeup in the long run. For my sons, baseball has been a main driver in their lives and they wouldn't be where they are today without it...and what they learned through baseball will likely continue to shape who they are for many years to come.