The Glade 4.0

Inspired by Hopwin's opening day thread, I find myself curious about what everyones greatest ball game attended story is. These are always enjoyable, as something unique happens in every game, and when some truely special happens it always makes for a great telling.

Gimmie gimmie gimme.

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Ezekiel 23:19-20 

Probably last years NLDS Game 2 between the Dodgers and Cardinals. That's the one where the Dodgers were down by a run, bottom of the 9th inning, two outs. A loss would mean going to St. Louis with the series tied at 1 a piece.

Instead, Matt Holliday takes on in 'nads, James Loney goes to second, and the next two batters (Blake and Belliard) get on base with a 9-pitch walk and a 1st-pitch single. Loney scores to tie the game.

Next up is Mark Loretta - 0-15 against the reliever, Franklin. He hits the second pitch into the outfield just over the infield, Blake scores, and the place goes nuts. Absolutely, insanely deafening. People hugging, towels waving. Definitely the craziest scene I've even seen at a ball park, so glad I was there with my family. I still get goosebumps thinking about it, really.

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This cold and dark tormented hell
Is all I`ll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be the judge

Mine was the opening game of the AL Division series, CC Sabathia had the mound against the Yankees. That whole series felt fated (remember the midges swarming the entire Yankee lineup?)

God the emotion and energy were tangible, this town wants a championship so badly.

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My first baseball game that I went to was Carl Yastrzemski's final game of his career. I didn't realize how cool that was until I was older though, hehe.

I was lucky enough to be at Safeco Field for Cal Ripken Jr's last All Star game (he hit a HR and was MVP). It was awesome, but, this would have to be #2. My favorite moment was getting the chance to take Teek to a game a few years ago. It was a great day. =)

Only been to a handful of games. Best game...

Jack Morris was pitching, think it was 83. Tigers whipped the **** out of Seattle 13 to 2. Kirk Gibson put a homer out of the freaking park. Like, out in the parking lot.

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Raell Kromwell

I had a hot dog at an 51's game once.

Oh, and I went to the inaugural game of the UFL here in Vegas.

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Holy shitsnacks!

My best game was making a trip to Fenway with my dad and seeing Curt Schilling's first game against the Yankees as a Red Sox. It was amazing because he was on fire that day. I think he had close to 10 strikeouts and gave up maybe a run I think. It was June of 2004 and I forget the details, but we had great seats in the right field area not too far from the field itself. The energy was amazing. Little did I know that would be the season the Red Sox won their first world series in 86 years. I tried so hard to get playoff tickets that season, but alas it wasn't meant to be.

Mine was after a Braves game actually.

Back at the old launching pad, the braves had won a close one vs the Dodgers. I was with my dad and brother. For this game, one of the seats was right behind the 3rd base dugout while the other two were in the OF a few rows up. I got the premo seat for the last few innings of the game. Anyway, after the game I notice a smallish crowd gathered around the seats behind homeplate right under where Skip Carey and Don Sutton do the radio broadcast. I venture over wondering whats up. Well, while the guys are on commercial break, they let people throw up stuff for them to autograph. I'm like, cool I've got a ball to be signed. So I wait hoping I get a turn. Well some of the people waiting started yelling and pleading for an autograph and you could tell Sutton was getting miffed because they were on the air. He was giving the universal "shhhhhhhh" signal. Well, while waiting and being quiet, this little girl I was standing next too said to me "id like get an autograph but I dont think I can throw it that high". I said that if he picks you, I'll throw it up for you. Well, they go to another commercial and Don looks out and surveys the gathering. He looks down at the little girl and points at her. She hands me her ball, I toss it up, he signs it, drops it back down to me and I give it to her. She beams a smile and says thank you to me and to Don. Don looks down after that and points to me. So I'm like "sweet!" and I toss my ball up, he signs it, drops it back down, then gives the the "safe" sign as in say, "I'm done". I got the last autograph of the day.

Still got the ball.

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"It is true that democracy undermines freedom when voters believe they can live off of others' productivity, when they modify the commandment: 'Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.' The politics of plunder is no doubt destructive of both morality and the division of labor."

It's been 31 years since I went to a major league ball game - first and only game I've ever been to, so it sort of becomes my greatest baseball game by default. One of the drawbacks to living in East Tennessee is the total lack of any pro franchises anywhere for a couple hundred miles. I've gone to some Smokies games (AA, currently Cubs affiliate, maybe 30 miles from my house). As pro teams go though, nothing in Atlanta ever felt like "my" team, and my dad grew up in Pittsburgh and so I adopted the Pirates (and the Steelers).

1979 was a great year. The "We Are Family" Pirates would win the World Series, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. We didn't know that in July though. We stopped in Pittsburgh on the way back home from our vacation that year - it made a nice halfway point between Georgian Bay, in Ontario, and Tennessee. We saw John Candelaria square off against Tom Seaver and the Reds. I was just ridiculously pumped; I had Topps cards for every player on the Pirates' roster. In retrospect though, try telling it to an seven year old Pirates fan, but I totally lucked out that the Reds came to town that day. I got to see my Pirates, especially Willie Stargell, but for the Reds that day I saw Tom Seaver, and Johnny Bench, and Dave Concepcion, and Joe Morgan. Five hall of famers in a day.

The Reds won, 6-5 (it's been three decades and that still annoys me a little). July 25, 1979.