Since I won't be making it to Syracuse this year for Bloomsday, I figured the second best way to celebrate Leopold Bloom's walk around his hometown is to ask you all for your favorite baseball related memories- they can be stories about trips to the game, days at the park, or watching the game with friends. Little League games, big league games, or anything in between are all far game.
On Sunday, May 24, 2006, Derek Jeter recorded his 1999th hit. I was living in Binghamton then, and I had Tuesday off from work. I did what I do before making all important baseball related decisions: I called my brother and asked if he wanted to go to the next game.
He drove down from Auburn and I drove us to New York. I don't remember if we got there on time, but I assume we did. Mike Mussina pitched well and Scott Proctor immediately blew the save. Angel Berroa hit a go-ahead homer off Kyle Farnsworth.
In the 4th inning, Jeter hit a nubber in front of the plate that the catcher threw into rightfield. Everyone in the ballpark knew it was a two base error- Jeter was out by a mile. But the official scorer knew that my brother and I had come a long way to see the 2000th hit, so he credited Jeter with a bunt single, advancing to second on the error. We cheered and Jeter waved, and we weren't done cheering yet when Jeter stole third.
The ballgame became epic in the bottom of the 9th, when the tarp came out. Trailing by 2, with nine, one and two hitters due up (Terence Long, Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter), and they put the stinking tarp on the field.
So my brother and I did the only logical thing: we waited. Our seats were at the top of the old Stadium, so we were dry. We had a pleasant conversation with the Royals fans sitting nearby (I still have to go see a game in KC, for the BBQ). And when the tarp came off we cheered like crazy. Long singled. Damon flew out to right, but Jeter worked a walk (he was 2 for 3 on the night). Sheffield singled and Long scored, Jeter moved to third.
Jason Giambi came to the dish, tying run on third, his walk off grand slam in the rain already a Yankee Classic. There was one out, Alex Rodriguez was on deck- he'd get a pitch to hit. He fell behind, but got the could to two and two. A swing, and a grounder to second, 4-6-3 DP. Ball game over.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes it rains. But when sometime is the same time, it makes a special night either way.
A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery. -Dedalus