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HALL of FAME, Continued from page 4 church—I was raised Catholic. But I I was born again and immediately re- everyone in his image and we are
was like most people: How can you pented and surrendered my life to called to love our neighbors as we
know what’s going to happen after the Lord Jesus Christ. The peace love ourselves.
car. No, they think about the people
in their life. And when you pass on, you die. Most people don’t think and joy that flooded by soul was in-
there’s nothing else you can do to ex- about that for a myriad of reasons. describable. Our God is an awe- CC: How many years have you
press your love for the people you The bottom line was, I was looking some God. I now look at people with been married to Doris? What would
care about. We need to do it while for an answer to spiritual questions. the understanding that God created you say held you two together all
we’re here. these years?
MG: Fifty-eight years. And I’ve got
CC: As the grandfather of four two things: Number one, it’s our
grandchildren—three grandsons and faith, and we both have a priority
one granddaughter, what would you that the Lord is more important to
say is the pinnacle of having them in us than anything. But the second
your life? thing is that marriage is going to be
MG: It’s almost like…I never full of arguments, right? If you marry
thought I could love anyone as much someone, you’re going to argue. And,
as my wife and my kids, but my sadly, that sometimes escalates to di-
grandkids…I love them every bit as vorce. But the one thing I’ve learned
much. about arguments is that you can’t
meet half-way. There’s no middle
CC: You say that you’ve learned a ground. What you have to realize is
lot in your latter years of life. How that you have to swallow your pride.
so? You don’t need to stand on the moun-
MG: I was 39 when my life tain over every minor issue in life.
changed. I had just retired from play- You’ve got to be able to humble your-
ing ball and for the first time, I didn’t self enough to let it go.
have that anchor of sports. And I did-
n’t think about it that way at the time, CC: What did family life, ulti-
but as I look back on it, I always felt mately, teach you?
something was missing in my life. I MG: It’s not all about me. Putting
didn’t know what it was. I just knew In 1989 Gouin was inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame located in Okla- others, especially family first is the
I didn’t feel fulfilled. I had gone to homa City, OK. key to true happiness.

The Wayne Dispatch · June 2022 · 5