Coolest Thing I Have Ever Seen At A MLB Game

by auldone on Dec 19, 2008 12:34 PM PST Comment 10 comments

April 15th 2006.

Oakland A's VS. Texas Rangers.

Bottom of the 6th.

Leading off, Eric Chavez. On deck, Frank Thomas. In the hole, Milton Bradley.

On the mound, Vicente Padilla.

On this beautiful day, a perfect day for baseball, my two brothers, Ray and James a family friend, Jason, and I, witnessed what all of us has deemed the coolest thing any of us had seen, in person, at a game...........

The Rangers had gone ahead 4-2 in the top of the inning, quickly killing the buzz in the stadium and for the moment swinging momentum their way, scoring 3 runs after Nick Swisher had hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 5th.

First Chavez stepped into the batters box. My favorite player and one hell of a 3rd baseman. 6 Gold Gloves! A hard worker and true to the game. The first pitch he sees, BAM! Out of the yard it goes. Score now 4-3.

Next Thomas. As Chavez is rounding the bases I lean over to the other guys and say "Thomas is goin yard"! Now growing up, Thomas was my favorite player. In his era, I believe he is one of the only true, non-juiced, home run hitters. Seeing him in an A's uniform was awesome! So Thomas steps to the plate. Padilla fires in the first pitch and CRACK! Thomas hits the first pitch HE sees out! The crowd is goin nuts!! Plus, I called it! The game is all tied up at 4.

Now Bradley. While this guy had his issues coming to Oakland, he would end up being a HUGE fan favorite with the A's. As Bradley is announced over the P.A., the Rangers Pitching coach comes out to chat with Padilla and buy his bullpen more time. It had been announced that this was Bradleys birthday. So just over 16,000 fans sing "Happy Birthday" to Milton. As the meeting at the mound broke up, Bradley tipped his hat to the fans, looking around the whole stadium, then stepped into the batters box. Then, Padilla looks in, gets the sign, and fires. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! HERE'S ONE DOWN THE MIDDLE FOR YA!! Bradley connects for a solo shot! The crowd went nuts!! We went nuts!!

How often do you get to see something like that? I was in Oakland when A-Rod hit his 350th. Had seen A-Rod back in the day with Seattle hit 2 homers in the same game. Same with Matt Stairs and Chavez. Was there when Giambi came back to Oakland after talking down the A's. (Hearing 40,000 fans chant "F*#kin Traitor" and "A$# Hole" was crazy).

Nothing will top, for me, seeing that and how electrifying the stadium was. The first 3 pitches of the bottom of the 6th. All homeruns. And not against just any pitcher I might add. I'm sure if I'm fortunate enough to see a perfect game, or see someone hit for the cycle, those experences would top this. BUT NOT FOR ME!!!!

Oh, by the way, the A's won 5-4.

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Nice memory

Definately exceedingly rare to see something like that. I was at the Schilling near no-hitter/perfect game. I was so conflicted because I wanted to see the no-hitter, but I definately did not want the A’s to be the one no hit. Of course when the hit came I instinctively was elated. That was a fun game even though we lost 1-0. Great game by Blanton as well. One of his best in reality.

by jasonlbe on Dec 19, 2008 2:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I nearly crashed my car

I was on 580 in between Dublin and Castro Valley right by the angel. Luckily, the angel protected me.

by jeffro on Dec 19, 2008 6:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Ah, memories

I didn’t hear about this until the game was over (going to school in Washington state made it difficult to follow A’s games as they unfolded), but it is indeed a sweet, sweet memory. I’ve been known to spend nights watching highlight after highlight over at the A’s official site and this clip is always a favorite.

Not to mention that knowing the players involved in this sequence won me a free AN t-shirt at AN Day IV back in August of 2007. And that’s a pretty nice memory too. :-)

In God We Trust....All Others Must Show Data

by Wes7 on Dec 19, 2008 6:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

July 8, 1994

I was in the Boston area on a consulting job, and my wife, who accompanied me on the trip, asked me if I wouldn’t like to go to Fenway Park to see a baseball game. For any baseball fan, going to Fenway is one of those things. The Red Sox were playing the Seattle Mariners. We went to the game, and in this game, the Mariners were giving a first start to a new shortstop, by the name we now call A-Rod. This was his first major league game.

But this night, the hero was not A-Rod. In the top of the sixth, Seattle had runners on first and second with none out, and put on a hit and run. The batter hit a soft liner out over second base. The Red Sox shorstop, John Valentin, running to second to cover the bag on the attempted steal, caught the ball, stepped on second, and then had the runner coming down from first run in to him. I had just seen an unassisted triple play! It was very unspectacular! It took about 90 seconds for the fans to figure out what had happened, and then the reaction set in, a tremendous round of cheering and applause.

At the time, the Red Sox were behind. So who comes up first in the bottom of the 6th? Of course, as the baseball God’s decree, it was John Valentin. Know what he did? He hit a home run, of course, Now, that was a good inning for John Valentin.

I saw one game in Fenway Park, and saw an unassisted triple play!

I’ve seen a lot of games in Oakland, and I’ve never seen an unassisted triple play. But that night in Boston, due to my wife’s urging to go to the game, I did.

I’ll never forget it.

I later went to one of two games in New York at Yankee stadium and saw a Dwight Gooden no hitter. I’ve had luck on the games I"ve seen in the AL East. But, as a died in the wool A’s fan, naturally I hate the AL East. But, I’ve seen some good games there.

by rcodd on Dec 19, 2008 7:53 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

My two that I remember are...

I was there when Eric Chavez hit for the cycle on June 21st, 2000…..pretty cool to see!! http://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores100/100173/100173311.htm

I was also there when Bobby Witt got a near no-hitter on June 23, 1994? http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E5D81E3DF937A15755C0A962958260

Those are the two that come to mind in my history….

by mikeprooo on Dec 19, 2008 11:53 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I was at the cycle game (my birthday)

That was a great game, the A’s just dominated the Orioles and Mussina.

I was at the game in 1990 or so when Brian Holman (or whatever his name was) threw 8 2/3 perfect innings against the A’s before Ken Phelps hit a pinch-hit homer. We (the fans) were pissed. Wanted to see the perfect game.

by jdr on Dec 21, 2008 4:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't remember the date, but also by Bradley

I met a nice Jays fan at the Coliseum and was talking to him the whole game. The A’s were down two runs in the bottom the ninth with B.J. Ryan closing out the game.

I’ve been to my good share of baseball games, but I had never remembered seeing a walk off home run. I told this to the Jays fan and the very next pitch Bradley hits one out to DEEP center field. No doubter. Ball hits off the wall. Game Over.

Man, what a great game.

Bradley has a lot of character issues, but man he’s a great player

by green_and_gold on Dec 20, 2008 1:18 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I was at that game!!!

I remember it because it was one of the last games I was able to go to with my father before he passed away and I recall how we both got a hell of a thrill from that sequence of events!!

Thanks for posting.

This is a bit off the wall in terms of memories, but I still recall being at the game (can’t recall the date) where a fan went running across the field during play and Byrnes literally pulled him off of the right field fence like some sort of WWE event.

by WannaBeGM on Dec 20, 2008 9:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

re

The game that K-Rod dropped the throw and Kendall scored…I had already left.

by blee1134 on Dec 22, 2008 11:31 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

No No Nolan

I was there for Nolan Ryan’s no-hitter against the A’s.

My boss had free tickets and I took my roommate. It was her first baseball game ever!

Canseco and McGwire weren’t in the lineup, though Mac pinch hit at the end. It was pretty boring through the first part of the game, but from the sixth inning on it was electric. Rickey hit one to the warning track.

I think it was the first Ryan no-hitter that his kids got to see in person. His sixth overall.

by DavidS on Dec 22, 2008 1:57 PM PST reply actions 0 recs