I often felt like I was being jipped when I was a kid. Whatever I had, it never seemed to be enough. Didn't have enough presents, stuff, didn't get enough attention, not unless I was acting the fool. It's part of the territory when you are a twin, I suppose. So I often was envious of the "things" that my friends had--a t-shirt, or a pair of sneakers, a book or a guitar. I remember my friend Matt Cantor being at Yankee Stadium twenty-five years ago when
Rags threw his no-hitter against the Red Sox. Normally, it would have been just the kind of thing that had me green with envy. I don't recall much about that day--I'm sure I watched the game, but I don't have a clear memory of it. What I do remember is feeling happy that Matt got to see it in person. At that point, Yankee pleasures came in small doses, and this was surely an unexpected surprise--the great Wade Boggs stuck out to end the game no less. I was not jealous that I wasn't the one at the game, I was just excited that someone I knew was there. Hey, if it wasn't me, might as well have been Matt, who a die-hard Yankee fan.
Twenty-five years ago. Jeez. Think I'll go change my diaper now and put in my teeth.
At 47, almost 48... I am amazed at how fast life has gone by. We mark our lives by certain milestones and memories - drivers license, high school grad, college years, singleness stuff, ball games, marriage, kids etc. It all flies by.
Taking my kids to their first game at Yankee stadium next month. Then it will begin for them !
I have since missed Abbots no-no, and Cone's and Wells' perfectos (even though I did have cable then, but for whatever reason didn't tune in those nights/days).
To this day, I have still never seen a no-hitter (live or on TV) or heard on the radio in its entirety (ESPN cutting to the end of a no-no doesn't count).
I remember that day very well. I was working as a caddy at Siwanoy Country Club; it was an extremely hot and humid day, not the kind of afternoon to have two heavy bags on your back. At the 10th hole, we stopped at the snack shack (we used to call it the halfway house), where the man at the counter had the game on the radio. I remember Frank Messer talking about how Rags was mowing hitters down. And then by the time we finished the round, Righetti had finished the no-hitter!
I was so bummed about Moose's near perfecto, mainly for the selfish reason that I was watching the whole game!
Now, I did have the (mis)fortune of seeing about two-thirds of Andy Hanwkins' infamous pseudo-no-hitter on TV, and then listening to bits and pieces of the last third on the radio at work. Does that count?
BTW, according to Pete Abe, the Yankees will wear hats with red, white, and blue NY for the next few days. This pisses me off. It's not because I am particularly bothered by the overt patriotism. Rather, I like the idea that the YAnkees don't have twelve different uniforms and hats, and that they don't constantly change their uniforms or team colors every season. I was even galled when MLB forced them to wear negro league uniforms a few years ago for some MLB marketing stunt.
Oh well.
Fun days!
I made it to Cone's perfect game.
The only reason I didn't go to Wells' perfect game was because it was beanie baby day, and I didn't want to deal with the crowd.
I didn't go to Abbott's no-hitter because my boss was griping at me for coming in late to work (I was a regular attendee @ weekend games), even though I cleared my being late with my co-worker.
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