Sleepless in Chicago
Wednesday afternoon. No, I'm not literally there with my boys, but you know I'm there in spirit. You see, today is my birthday. I can see you all out there, smiling and perhaps wishing me a Happy Birthday. I clearly do not have any California/Anaheim/Los Angeles (boo, hiss) Angels fans in my readership for, if you were a die hard like me, you'd know what October 12th means to my beloved team.
It was October 12th, 1986, in Anaheim Stadium, top of the 9th with the boys comfortably ahead of the Boston Red Sox by a score of 5-2, when, with two out and just one pitch separating them from the Angels' first World Series, Donnie Moore pitched to Dave Henderson who knocked it right over the wall, scoring himself and Rich Gedman, and tying up the game. In the top of the 11th, Henderson hit a sacrifice fly to center to send Don Baylor home, and that was it for the Angels' season. Oh, technically they had to go back to Boston and lose two more games in one of the most spectacular folds in MLB history but, for all intents and purposes, their season ended with that one pitch from Donnie Moore. [Moore's shocking suicide less than a year after the end of his major league career was partially a result of his brooding on this failure; he said he was doomed to be remembered for just one pitch and one failure. Sadly, he was probably right.]
In any case, it's my 38th birthday and there's just one thing I want. (No, I'm not going to type it here...you know it's bad luck to tell anyone what your wish is!)
Go Angels!!!
It was October 12th, 1986, in Anaheim Stadium, top of the 9th with the boys comfortably ahead of the Boston Red Sox by a score of 5-2, when, with two out and just one pitch separating them from the Angels' first World Series, Donnie Moore pitched to Dave Henderson who knocked it right over the wall, scoring himself and Rich Gedman, and tying up the game. In the top of the 11th, Henderson hit a sacrifice fly to center to send Don Baylor home, and that was it for the Angels' season. Oh, technically they had to go back to Boston and lose two more games in one of the most spectacular folds in MLB history but, for all intents and purposes, their season ended with that one pitch from Donnie Moore. [Moore's shocking suicide less than a year after the end of his major league career was partially a result of his brooding on this failure; he said he was doomed to be remembered for just one pitch and one failure. Sadly, he was probably right.]
In any case, it's my 38th birthday and there's just one thing I want. (No, I'm not going to type it here...you know it's bad luck to tell anyone what your wish is!)
Go Angels!!!
Comments
You have a semi-lurking Orange County resident that reads you, but alas...I am not a baseball fan ;).
In basketball news, I am a Sacramento fan stuck in Lakers Country, and ouch...that hurts =).
I hope you enjoy your day!
{{{HUGS}}}
May you find what you seek!!!
Hope it was the happiest of happy days, much better than '86 for sure!
xoxo
Mia
And I have to confess to rooting for the White Sox, but you have my condolences. Maybe next year.
I'm still ticked at the Angels for changing their name. Again.