One of the best days of my life was September 22, 1993. I was 11 years old and my mom bought me and her tickets to go to a Seattle Mariners baseball game in the Kingdome. We intentional bought these tickets because it was a game against the Texas Rangers and Nolan Ryan, one of the best pitchers in baseball history was scheduled to be the starting pitcher for the Rangers. Before the season had begun, Nolan Ryan announced his plan to retire at the end of the season. The was supposed to be his last game ever pitching in Seattle.
Our tickets were right above the Texas Rangers bullpen and about 30 minutes before the game, Nolan Ryan left his dugout and started walking towards the bullpen to warm up. As soon as he exited, nearly 41,000 people gave him a standing ovation. He tipped his cap towards the crowd before he started to warm-up, and after his first pitch, the crowd erupted again.
As he left the bullpen to return to the dugout, he recieved his second standing ovation.
The Rangers were up in the top of the first inning and I don't remember what happened because I was anxiously awaiting to see Ryan pitch against my favorite and home town team.
In the bottom of the first inning, Ryan exited his dugout to walk to the mound and he recieved his 3rd standing ovation. Even though he was "the enemy", everyone in Seattle was there to see his final game in our town. He began to pitch, the Mariners got 2 hits, then Ryan walked the next 4 batters walking in 2 runs. The bases were loaded with no outs when Dann Howitt hit a grand slam off Nolan Ryan. The score was now 6-0 in the first inning.
He attempted one more pitch to the next batter, but the previous pitch caused Ryan to tear a ligiment in his shoulder. Even after tearing a ligiment, his final pitch was 98 miles per hour. The trainers for the Texas Rangers came out and took him out of the game. As he walked slowly to the dugout, again, he received another standing ovation, his 4th. The entire Kingdome crowd continued to cheer for him as the relief pitcher warmed up. Just as the game was about the resume, Nolan Ryan exited the dogout, held his hat up towards the crowd as a thank you, and turned a circle looking around the entire opposing stadium clapping for him.
He never played a professional game of baseball again. I was lucky enough to see Nolan Ryan's final game and I will never forget that day watching baseball with my Mom and 41,000 other people.
Our tickets were right above the Texas Rangers bullpen and about 30 minutes before the game, Nolan Ryan left his dugout and started walking towards the bullpen to warm up. As soon as he exited, nearly 41,000 people gave him a standing ovation. He tipped his cap towards the crowd before he started to warm-up, and after his first pitch, the crowd erupted again.
As he left the bullpen to return to the dugout, he recieved his second standing ovation.
The Rangers were up in the top of the first inning and I don't remember what happened because I was anxiously awaiting to see Ryan pitch against my favorite and home town team.
In the bottom of the first inning, Ryan exited his dugout to walk to the mound and he recieved his 3rd standing ovation. Even though he was "the enemy", everyone in Seattle was there to see his final game in our town. He began to pitch, the Mariners got 2 hits, then Ryan walked the next 4 batters walking in 2 runs. The bases were loaded with no outs when Dann Howitt hit a grand slam off Nolan Ryan. The score was now 6-0 in the first inning.
He attempted one more pitch to the next batter, but the previous pitch caused Ryan to tear a ligiment in his shoulder. Even after tearing a ligiment, his final pitch was 98 miles per hour. The trainers for the Texas Rangers came out and took him out of the game. As he walked slowly to the dugout, again, he received another standing ovation, his 4th. The entire Kingdome crowd continued to cheer for him as the relief pitcher warmed up. Just as the game was about the resume, Nolan Ryan exited the dogout, held his hat up towards the crowd as a thank you, and turned a circle looking around the entire opposing stadium clapping for him.
He never played a professional game of baseball again. I was lucky enough to see Nolan Ryan's final game and I will never forget that day watching baseball with my Mom and 41,000 other people.
urblueygrl:
if your free saturday we are having another party... of course the guys are requesting you bring that sexy lady of yours with you... Hope your able to make it out ;o)
surlyclown:
That's a really great memory. 