Last week in Omaha was one of the best weeks of my life. Story #2 is my favorite non-Aggie related story from this entire trip and there isn’t a close second. This is story #2 simply because it’s the followup to story #1.
After I left Big Blue Couple and Hippie Couple behind on the left field concourse, I walked over to my favorite SRO spot under the large Jumbotron TV / scoreboard. Once again I stood directly behind the general administration bench seating just above all the reserved seats. To my right on the bench was a couple and to my left was a teenage boy. The space between them was open and a perfect spot for me to sit. I stood there for a couple of minutes and observed the teenage boy turning around and talking to the man standing directly behind him. I would come to find out that this was an incredible 18 year old young man who was mentality challenged, attending the game with his devoted Dad.
The boy had on a Kentucky ball cap and t-shirt and he was really enjoying the game. I made a positive comment about Kentucky out loud and the boy turned around and looked at me. He didn’t say a word but simply smiled in agreement. It was the top of the ninth inning and North Carolina State had just scored to go ahead 4-3. Once again I made a comment out loud, something to the effect that Kentucky was going to come back with a walk off win. The boy turned around and said,
“ I sure hope so. He then looked at me and said my name is Matthew. My Dad gets too nervous at games and doesn’t like to sit down. You can sit here if you want. “ With that I hopped over the bench and sat down.
I told Matthew that I went to game 1 the day before but missed game 2 because I got too hot at game 1. I told him history was made the night before with the first ever consecutive walk of games in CWS history and I missed it. I said Kentucky has to come back and walk off this game to make history again with three consecutive walk off victories. Once again, Matthew looked at me and said, “ I sure hope so “. Kentucky would come back in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game at 4-4 but couldn’t push another run across. We go to the 10th inning.
North Carolina State doesn’t score in their frame so it’s off to the bottom of the 10th. It’s then that I turn to Matthew between innings and say…
“ Do you want to hear something cool? “ He smiles and says yes. “ I’m on a magical adventure following my team this weekend. His eyes start to open real wide. This is my first trip to Omaha. I’m 60 years old and it’s been my dream to come to the CWS since I was younger than you are now. I made plans to come here at the beginning of the season and now my team has followed me here. It wasn’t easy for me to get here but I made it. It wasn’t easy for my team to get here but they made it. Now I truly believe we’re going to win it all, no offense to you and your Wildcats. I also truly believe that the magic will continue today and your team will help make us all a part of history with a walk off win. Yes we can do it! was his response.
It was then for some reason that I thought about Big Blue Couple and Hippie Couple. What must be going on with them? I looked over towards the left field concourse area where I had previously been but my old eyes couldn’t detect them. I did see something however that caught my eye. Below the area that they were sitting was the Kentucky bullpen. I looked and saw that a previously busy Kentucky bullpen was now COMPLETELY empty. I thought it was quite strange that not only did they stop throwing in the pen at that point but they had abandoned the pen completely. Kentucky was going to ride their current pitcher into the 11th or they were convinced they could walk it off here in the bottom of the 10th.
I swear on my life this happened next. I turned to Matthew and said we are about to witness history. Your team is going to walk off this game in dramatic fashion for a third consecutive walk off win. I then pulled my best Babe Ruth imitation, pointed to the empty Kentucky bullpen and yelled, “ HIT IT INTO YOUR EMPTY BULLPEN! “ The next pitch, “CRACK”…. Ball flys into the empty Kentucky bullpen with the game winning homer. Kentucky fans were beside themselves with joy and excitement. I was incredibly happy and impressed with my soothsayer prediction. People are looking at me like I’m an Aggie prophet or something. When I didn’t think this moment could get any better, it did.
Matthew was jumping up and down screaming,
“ We won, we won, we won. You said it and he did it. We won, we won, we won. You said it and he did it.”.
I had no dog in the fight and yet I was soooo freaking happy for this boy and what just happened. Matthew then made this incredible moment even more memorable. He turned to me and still smiling and yelling embraced me in the biggest bear hug and continued with…
“ We won, we won, we won. You said it and he did it. “. I looked over at his Dad with the look in my eye that I didn’t instigate this hug with his son. His Dad didn’t give a shit. He stood there with a huge smile on his face and tears running down his cheeks, basking in the light of his son’s happiness and joy. That expression on his Dad’s face gave me goosebumps. What a freaking moment.
After a few minutes I turn around and there is an older Kentucky Wildcat fan and I assumed was a BIG MONEY booster for their program. Our eyes meet and he says, “I saw what you did right there Aggie and that was pretty impressive. I’m holding you personally responsible for…..” I cut Big Blue Booster off right there and finished his thoughts. I accept your challenge Wildcat. You did your part today and won and we will do our part tonight and win so we can finally play each other on Monday. He said, “ That’s exactly what I was thinking. With that I said I’ll see you here again on Monday. I never saw that Wildcat Booster on Monday after the game. I was too busy celebrating with our fans and our team.
My adventures continued…
