I been through a lot of big moments in sports, and several of them in person.
I was present a few times when Abilene Christian won a national championship in track and field and a women’s basketball regional. I’ve been there for conference tournament titles, and unbelievable comebacks – like a 70-point second half by Tarleton to come-from-behind and down Texas A&M-Kingsville at home in front of a rockin’ Wisdom Gym.
Each one seems to top the last. I thought it couldn’t get any better than winning a regional championship in men’s basketball, but when the Texans did so in 2006, it trumped the one from 2005. That was great, my feelings were undescribable.
Then, in 2009, after a 64-yard field goal tied the first round playoff game at Texas A&M-Kingsville, we went for two in the second overtime and won. I was one of the ones storming the field. I was fully enthralled in the moment.
But what happened Friday night, Oct. 22, 2010 trumps them all.
I have been invested in the Texas Rangers for as long as I can remember. Sitting in the park tonight, I kept going back to the first time my dad took me to a Rangers game in the old ballpark, and we sat in left field in the bleachers. We saw the likes of Steve Buchelle and others play for the red, white and blue-clad team from Texas. I dreamed that someday, I could play for them, too.
But I never could, nor did, of course. But that didn’t curb my enthusiasm for the Rangers.
No, I haven’t suffered as long as some fans as we have stood by and watched other teams advance to the playoffs. Finally in 1995, our chance came, and it was squashed by the New York Yankees – a team we all love to hate. Again in 1998 and 1999, we suffered the same fate at the hands of the “evil empire”.
But yesterday (Thursday – well actually it was two days ago as I write this in the early hours of Saturday), my wonderful brother-in-law who is more like a brother to me than an in-law, Jason, called and asked what I was doing Friday night. I told him, “Watching the Rangers on TV I guess.” He said, “No, you’ll be there with me in the stadium if you want to go.”
Do huh? And, well duh? Of course I want to go. That’s right, I would get a chance to be a part of Rangers’ history live. And my beautiful wife gave me her blessing – thanks, honey!
So I packed my sling bag with my good camera from work, some peanuts, beef jerky and my glove, and I headed to meet Jason. We met at 281 and I-20 and headed east. It wasn’t until we were walking to the park and I reached into my bag to get my camera out to take the following picture that I realized I left the memory card in my backpack at home. DOH!!! That’s right, Mr. Photographer goofed up and now had to rely on a not-so-good quality camera from my Blackberry. Oh well, it was nice to just enjoy the game without focusing just through the view finder of a Canon.
So Jason handed me my printed ticket, and for the first time, I knew where we were sitting.
He hadn’t told anyone, but now I knew I was going to be close to the action when I looked at the piece of paper – Section 23, Row 22, Seat 5.
If I had a baseball, I could have made an easy throw over the net and into Benji Molina’s glove at the plate.
Here’s the view:
I did make a trip to the gift shop in centerfield to see if they might have a memory card for my camera, and even joked with a guy about hoping he brought his for his Canon since I forgot mine. And he offered to let me borrow one, but I just couldn’t do that. I did appreciate it though.
I returned to my seat, and we stood there as it sprinkled and then a light rain fell. Then, as the national anthem was sung, it rained hard, but we stood there, singing with pride for our nation and the great game of America’s pastime we were about to experience.
Then Tom Grieve – Mr. Ranger – threw out the first pitch.
Jason pointed out that about the only bad thing about the night is we couldn’t see the F-16 flyover because of the clouds – oh and my forgotten memory card. Oh well!
Colby Lewis went through almost five innings with no-hit baseball. He was a machine and pitched a great ballgame. The Rangers’ offense was stellar and produced runs when they needed to, including opening the first home frame with a tally on the board. The Yankees intentionally walked Josh Hamilton three of the four times he came to the plate – they were scared of him. They should be – he was later named the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player.
Vladimir Guerrero finally came through in the series with runners on after a second intentional walk to Josh that added to the total.
Lewis worked through the eighth and recorded the first 24 outs of the contest on just three hits with two walks. He won two games in this series.
Neftali Feliz came on in the top of the ninth, and the Yankees weren’t ready for him. As the inning started, all of the fans were holding up three fingers (as we all had been doing since the sixth inning or so as we counted down how many outs we needed before the end of the game, and the trip to the World Series) indicating three more outs. Three more outs until the Rangers tallied their fourth win of the series. Three more outs until the Rangers tallied their first playoff series win over the Yankees. Three more outs before they claimed a ALCS Championship and punched their ticket – our ticket – to the World Series.
Feliz mowed down Curtis Granderson before he beat Robinson Cano to first base on a ground out to first baseman Mitch Moreland. Then came the ultimate grand finale. Something not even the best screen writers could come up with as Jason said. Former Ranger and hated Yankee Alex Rodriguez stepped to the plate. Every time he did so in the game, the fans yelled “A – Roid, A – Roid” – it was classic!
After a ball, Feliz threw back-to-back 99-mph fastballs. One was called strike one, the other was fouled off. Then came the ultimate – a called strike three as Feliz pulled the string on an 83-mph slider that caught the corner of the plate and handed the Rangers their first trip to the World Series 39 years in the making – 50 if you go back to the beginning of the Washington Senators.
Here’s the pic (though not very good) of the final pitch:
Then a party broke out on the field - and in the stands. Confetti fell from above like snow was falling from the sky – red, white and blue snow that meant more than the turning of a season. It was the season.
The Rangers piled onto the field:
Then, they broke out the ginger ale – another sign of a true team. Since Josh Hamilton is a recovering addict and C.J. Wilson doesn’t drink – neither participated in the celebration in California when the Rangers won the West Division because of the champagne. So they (the team) decided when they won the AL Division Series over Tampa to use ginger ale, and they did so again on the field tonight. That’s true team spirit. That’s true family.
Then the team ran around the ballpark giving fives to the fans, and pointing up to them and waving. It was another sign that this team is vested in the fans, too. They want to win for the fans, and themselves.
Michael Young was interviewed over the PA system and said, “this is for the fans.” Then he said. “We’re not done.”
I like that.
The ALCS trophy was presented to team president Nolan Ryan and CEO Chuck Greenberg. Then it was handed to Jon Daniels and then Ron Washington. Then Hamilton was presented the MVP trophy for the series.
Josh said that he admitted to “tearing up” when Rodriguez was at the plate, and then did even more so on the called third strike. He was not alone. I am sure there were many more on the field, in the stands and at home doing the same. Jason said he did. And so did I.
Then, after the cue from the great Chuck Morgan (the Rangers' longtime public address announcer and game manager), the 2010 ALCS flag was raised above the jumbotron in right field.
More celebration occurred, and we stood there and then sat there for a moment as the crowd thinned taking it all in. Tonight I was a part of history. I was a part of my team making it to the World Series.
In the long run, I’m glad I didn’t have my camera during the game. Yes, I would have gotten some good shots that would have provided some good memories, but I wouldn’t have been able to jump up and down as freely as I did. I wouldn’t have been able to take it all in like I did.
I have a lot of close friends and family that I love, and Jason I have always shared sports as a common bond – from the very first time I watched him play summer baseball at ACU and he took me to Sonic in between a doubleheader. I think of both of my brothers-in-law as more of brothers than in-laws, and I love them both very much.
To get to experience this with Jason, with whom we have watched many a Ranger game together in person or on TV, was a pleasure I can’t describe. I will never be able to repay him for the experience, and I will never trade this memory for anything – unless of course I was somehow able to be there when the Rangers clinch the World Series in the next couple of weeks - though that is highly unlikely. Thank you Jason for the experience. And yet, a thank you doesn’t seem near enough.
A roaring frenzy of 51,404 people went even more nuts when the home plate umpire wrung up our nemesis Rodriguez as the Rangers took a 6-1 game six victory. And the series.
Throughout the game we jumped up and down, high five each other and the people around us. We stood up for most of the game. We screamed. We clapped. We cheered. I increased my winning streak at the Ballpark in Arlington to 15 straight games, dating back to the 2008 season.
Michael Young was more giddy than a kid at a candy store. Even more so that a kid on Christmas morning. “I can’t even describe this feeling,” he said.
Though I tried here in a very lengthy way (sorry for those who stuck it out), my words do it no justice. We were like kids in a candy store. We were like kids on Christmas morning.
Young can’t describe this feeling, and I still realize that after trying, neither can I.
