I was watching "Good Will Hunting" the other night (although I would not suggest the Bravo version; it was almost like a different movie at times), and in one of my favorite scenes, Robin Williams tells of the time he missed Game 6 of the 1975 World Series (considered by some to be the greatest of all Fall Classic contests) because he had to "see about a girl".
Now I am sure we've all had that feeling of "I wish I was there" when something spectacular happens at the ballpark, but in the case of Williams' fictional character, he actually had a ticket, and still missed the event.
And it got me thinking back to two prominent games that I missed in my lifetime, though the reasons have nothing to do with love. Call me the Anti-John; it is my brother John who twice found himself at the right place at the right time; once by process of elimination, the other by bold choice. In the first example, our tales are eerily similar, even down to the game details.
The Minnesota Twins arrived in town on September 21, 1970, just one victory from clinching their second straight American League West crown. On the mound for Oakland was 21-year old Vida Blue, a late-season call-up making his eighth big-league start. Said the southpaw:
"I made up my mind they weren't going to get it (the clinch) off me."
My uncle Dan had three tickets for the game, but at first found no takers. Finally he was able to get his sister (my Aunt Maxine) and John to go with him. And what a game they saw! Against Minnesota's formidable lineup, Blue allowed only a fourth-inning walk during a stirring no-hitter that kept the champagne on ice in the visitor's clubhouse. Several family members who declined Uncle Dan's tickets were later discovered kicking themselves.
It was déjà vu all over again, some thirteen seasons later. Only this time it was me doing the self-kicking. Tony La Russa and his Chicago White Sox came to Oakland on September 29, 1983, having wrapped up their first division title. Tonianne and her husband Michael had two extra tickets available; first deck, no less. And I passed. No special reason, except maybe I was just burnt out on baseball (did I really just type that?) Keep in mind that I went to 66 games that season; which means I only missed 15. I surely picked the wrong time to stay home; the Chisox collected exactly zero hits off of A's pitcher Mike Warren. I kid you not; I listened to the last two innings in my bedroom, begging for the Sox to get a hit, and pissed off at Bill King whose voice grew more excited with each out. The next day at school, I was hounded by classmates dying to know what it was like to witness a no-no, only to have them turn away with an "Oh, no!" To this day, twenty-five years later, my brother-in-law Michael still teases me about Mike Warren's no-hitter.
***
When I first pressed family members for their own stories, John pointed out that such instances would be rare, because tickets were (and still are) almost always available. True. But there were still some noteworthy games we've missed.
Sometimes a higher authority keeps us from attending. When Billy Martin managed his first game in Oakland, Mom made me stay home since I had not gone to school that day. Attempts to convince her that I had recovered from my, um, illness, fell on deaf ears. There was also the time the A's and Cleveland faced off in July 1974. Normally the World Champions would find it hard to get up for a game in July, especially against the lowly Indians, but this one carried some historical flavor: Gaylord Perry was going for his sixteenth straight victory that night, which at the time was an American League record. A heavy downpour throughout the day threatened to cancel the event- enough for Dad to convince Tonianne that the game would not be played, against her vehement objections. And of course they played, with the A's winning a thriller in ten innings, the deciding run driven in by 19-year old Claudell Washington, while Tonianne cried next to her transistor radio and cursed her father until she fell asleep.
(Six years later, Tonianne learned her lesson. When rain once again tried to intervene, my oldest sister went against Dad's orders to attend a doubleheader between Martin's upstarts and the hated Angels. In a steady drizzle, the A's won both games. Dad let his daughter's defiance slide, his heart clearly softened by the home team's sweep.)
***
The A's were down three-games-to-two in the 1973 World Series, but were heading home with the chance to defend the title they won the year before. Dad had two tickets to Game 6, and two more for Game 7, if it got that far. He offered first choice to John, who didn't hesitate. "I chose Game 7. There was no doubt in my mind that game would be played, and I wanted to be there for it." And he was right. Jim Hunter shut down the Mets in the sixth contest, setting up a winner-take-all finale. The A's won it 5-2, and John raced onto the field to celebrate a second straight World Series win.
Having been too young to fully appreciate the early glory years, I claimed 1988 as my own. It was my team, my time. I was there for Games 3 and 4 of the ALCS, as the A's finished off an impressive sweep of the Red Sox, and now only the Dodgers stood in the way of a return to the top. But on the eve of attending my very first World Series game, I came down with the stomach flu. Oh, I tried to fight it. I went to work in the morning, only to return home an hour later. I got in bed in hopes of sleeping it off, but finally I relented to the bug, and gave my ticket- my World Series ticket- to my oldest brother Ernie. Naturally, the A's won that night- their only victory of the Series- and it was in dramatic fashion, courtesy of Mark McGwire's walkoff homerun.
I had to laugh to keep from crying.
Instead of seeing this from my seat in Section 127, I was home in bed with the flu.
Any related moments to share, AN?
Donald (67) Marquez is an administrator at Athletics Nation and the author of the self-published "Generation A's Fans: A Family's Long Love Affair with one of Baseball's Best Teams". Available on-line or e-mail him directly at the address in his profile. $1 of each book sold goes to Ken Korach's "Winning for the Community" foundation.
2 recs | 69 comments
Warren's no no
I was going to go to that game, but sadly, I had to study for an exam I had the next day. I was listening to the game while I was studying. I became more interested in the game, and the studying suffered. My good friend Glen, still made it to the game, and promptly, upon his return home, called me to rub it in. Strangulation came to mind, but I thought better of it.
billyball1981 - January 15, 2009
curious
howd the exam go?
harendaman365 - January 15, 2009
It's funny
I remember the game, but I don’t remember anything about the exam, or what class it was for. I guess I have my priorites, baseball first.
billyball1981 - January 15, 2009
I can still hear my dad yelling
“I knew you could do it Claudell!”
lynnzgal - January 15, 2009
I've gotta say 67M
I love the angle you bring to the front page.
All of my recent memories, sadly, involve me being in Boston. I watched much of the 20-game win streak on gamecast in a computer lab, making too much noise when Miggy hit his singles, or Hatteberg hit his homerun.
oakinboston - January 15, 2009
Awesome.
And I love the GWH lead-in.
oblique - January 15, 2009
Wins #19-20 and the walk off bunt.
Being in Sacramento it takes a bit of planning to get to a game.
When they hit number 18 in the streak I knew I had to be in the stadium for 19, but I couldn’t find anyone to go with. I like the shared experience so while going to a game by myself is fine (and I’ve done it before) I prefer to go with someone.
What if I miss seeing two incredible games because of what ifs?
sighs
On a slightly happier note, when I got to the airport the next morning after Ramon dropped that beautiful bunt there was a Sox fan sitting at my gate (looking like he had had about 10 minutes of sleep) who had gone to the game. So I made up for the fact I didn’t go by torturing him for 20 minutes.
gallopingael - January 15, 2009
Walk off bunt
I was at the game, but I had to be at work that night, and had to leave for my shift. As I pulled into the parking lot at work I heard the bunt. To quote Ralph Wiggam “I’m happy and angry”
billyball1981 - January 15, 2009
I can't believe
that first you skipped to study for an exam, and then you left a playoff game early to go to work…you should have just called out…its the playoffs
mills16 - January 15, 2009
Don't think
It would have sounded good with the crowd in the background. Not to mention my Sgt was with me.
billyball1981 - January 15, 2009
Best game I've ever seen from the upper deck.
mikev - January 15, 2009
no kidding.
that game was back and forth all night and every sawks fan was worth their weight in gold in terms of trash-talking and trash-taking – especially in the upper deck.
Freaking wonderful.
I haven’t missed a game that later was important, but this past summer I got to attend a game where I proved to my wife that you never leave early. It was here in Sacramento – the Rivercats. The opposing pitcher dealt for the first 8 innings and gave up one hit and basically not much else (I’d like to find the box score to confirm). Going into the bottom of the ninth, down 2-0 the Rivercats ended up winning 3-2 on a hit by Richie Robnett after he had struck out the previous three times up to the plate.
ChrisCEIT - January 16, 2009
Great story 67M
Really enjoyed this piece…and love that scene in Good Will Hunting.
OaktownPower - January 15, 2009
I had tickets to the game when Ellis hit for the cycle
and I had to miss it to work late. I was so frustrated—at least I listened to it on the radio while I worked. :(
batgirl - January 15, 2009
Read about it ...
http://www.athleticsnation.com/2006/8/4/13439/85463
We broke up 10 months later …
devo - January 15, 2009
devo
you hopeless romantic. great story, except that 10 months later part…
67MARQUEZ - January 15, 2009
Women come and go...
but the A’s are always there….remember that next time
mills16 - January 15, 2009
Baseball
will get you through times of no women, better than women will get you through times of no baseball.
billyball1981 - January 15, 2009
The Dogfather - January 15, 2009
FREAK BROTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me likey. Me likey lots.
Leopold Bloom - January 16, 2009
WOW
I didnt think anyone would get it. They were so funny. I especially like the one where Fat Freddy cooks a Turkey, Franklin raves about the stuffing. To which Freddy says, “Stufing? it was already stuffed.”
billyball1981 - January 16, 2009
Gross.
And funny.
Leopold Bloom - January 16, 2009
I don't know where my next girlfriend is...but I know where the A's are.
muffinpryde - January 15, 2009
there's all sorts of unprintable words to use
I’ll leave it at that. Never EVER leave a game once you’re there. Life must hang in the balance for it to ever make sense.
ChrisCEIT - January 16, 2009
So you were sick
Bummer were you really sick, or did you have examitis opening day 1980? They wern’t even on the radio, how could you stand it? I had to take a bunch of dimes with me to the game to call my friends with updates throught the game, ran out of dimes after the 7th inning rally. Besides I could not talk after all of the yelling. Sorry you missed that one Don.
billyball1981 - January 15, 2009
I am pretty sure I was faking it
Which is why Mom pulled that on me. Of course, she didn’t let on that she knew. She just said, “No sweetie. I can’t let you go out, with you being sick and all.” Talk about shit backfiring on you. (Poor choice of words there).
67MARQUEZ - January 15, 2009
backifiring
Hopefully will happen later in life
billyball1981 - January 15, 2009
I ment to say
Won’t happen
billyball1981 - January 15, 2009
It's not your fault.
Rebuilding Season - January 15, 2009
I know.
67MARQUEZ - January 15, 2009
Look at me 67M
It’s not your fault.
Rebuilding Season - January 15, 2009
Look at me 67M
It’s not your fault.
Rebuilding Season - January 15, 2009
Yeah, I know.
67MARQUEZ - January 15, 2009
No, No you don't
It’s not your fault.
Rebuilding Season - January 15, 2009
Damn it, Rebuilding.
Don’t you do this. Not you.
67MARQUEZ - January 15, 2009
It's not your fault.
It’s not your fault.
Rebuilding Season - January 15, 2009
{sobs}
Oh God! Oh God! I’m so sorry! {sobs}
Wow, I took a break at the right time. Depending on one’s point of view, that was either pretty cool or extremely creepy.
67MARQUEZ - January 15, 2009
(Smiles)
Forget them ok?
I enjoyed it.
Rebuilding Season - January 15, 2009
QOTM
Good Will Hunting edition.
mikev - January 15, 2009
Nolan Ryan's last no hitter
I believe this happened during the 1990 season. It was a mid week night game, and I thought to myself “I’ve never seen Ryan pitch, and this may be my last chance.” So I decided I’d go. But then I didn’t. I had a new job that year and was really trying to establish myself, so I took work home and listened to the game on the radio. To this day, it still bugs me and is the biggest baseball regret I have.
On the other hand, I took my mother to the Sulk Off game, and its the last game she’s been able to attend. I also saw the Walk Off Bunt, and though I don’t remember the year, I saw Stew beat Clemens 1-0, the winning run scoring, IIRC, on a sacrifice. So I ‘ve seen a few good games.
By the way, I’m going to add Goodwill Hunting to my Netflix cue. I’ve never seen it, and now I’m dying to.
guapobob - January 15, 2009
wow
That is a must see. It is not a baseball movie except for that story, but still a must see.
rollie_fingers_moustache - January 15, 2009
+1
mikev - January 15, 2009
I was at Nolan Ryan's last no-no...
…entirely because my parents’ marriage was breaking up.
My brother and I were both living on the East Coast (I was in grad school; he was an intern at a publishing house). Our parents said that we had to go home at rather short notice. I think we both kinda knew what was coming. We showed up in Berkeley and they gave us the news. Despite our both being grown up, it was a tough time.
But as long as we were in town, we decided to catch a ball game. We went with my mom (who never went to games). And we all saw the only know hitter any of us had—or has—ever seen live.
I had more mixed emotions at that game that I can even begin to describe.
GreenNGoldSooner - January 15, 2009
your mom rocks.
ChrisCEIT - January 16, 2009
Rickey
My cousin lived in San Jose, I lived in Sacramento. I got the day off of school to go down to Oakland to see Rickey get the all time stolen base record against the Yankees! I was sure he would get it that day. Needless to say he didn’t and I had to back to school the next day. My cousin convinced his mother to let him off school the next day and was there to see Rickey steal third base for the record while playing the Indians. I think I may have told my mother that day that in case she died I wanted to be under the care of my Aunt. I did get to see the 20th win and the big banner dropped later in life however. I eventually forgave my mom.
rollie_fingers_moustache - January 15, 2009
Me too.
I bought tickets to every single April and May home game that year, except one, hoping to see Rickey break the record. The only game I could not go to was on May 1, because it was a day game, and because it was one of the busiest days of the year for my job, there was no way I could get out of work that day. And of course, that happens to be the day Rickey breaks the record.
I did see him tie the record, though. And I thought he had it broken on April 30, but Canseco swung at a two-strike pitch and grounded out. Rickey could have walked to second. Oh well.
kenarneson - January 15, 2009
Canseco
He was great when he played for the A’s (before we all knew about the steroids) but ultimately frustrating. What other idiot would ruin the chance to be at the plate when Rickey set the record.
rollie_fingers_moustache - January 16, 2009
I've had amazing luck
I go to somewhere between 5 and 10 games a year, and I’ve been to some quite amazing ones in recent years. I was at the game where Cust hit a walk off (after Milton tied it with a two run homer). I’ve seen Ellis hit a walk off (after Todd Walker tied it up). I was at a game where Durazo hit a two run shot down by two runs with two outs in the ninth. I was even at Pedro vs Huddy where Hudson threw a one hitter. I had been to both of Tejada’s walk offs during the streak.
But there are two games that I regret seeing that I was either going to see and decided against it or had to go to school instead. And those two games are probably the two best games since Hatty. Number one is obvious. In the ALDS in 2006, I wanted to go to game 3, but a certain 4 letter network decided all the A’s games should be played during the day, and I was unable to convince my parents to take me there (if I had a car I would have driven there myself, unfortunately I didn’t get one until later that year) instead of school. The second was the A’s vs. the Yankees in 2007. One would think it would be nothing special, just another ordinary Saturday game. I had gone so far as gotten in the car, ready to go, but we were running late, so I eventually gave up. I watched it on TV and it was not the beginning that made me regret going. I gladly would have not seen the beginning, in order to see the end in person. There were runners on 1st and 2nd, A’s down my two, two outs, Mariano Rivera in. Who was up? Marco Scutaro. We all know what happened then. He pulled a Fisk and hit one straight down the LF line. And just like Fisk, won the game by hitting the pole.
vignette17 - January 15, 2009
I have only been to one A's game at the Coliseum in my entire life.
I know, it is very sad, but I have lived in SoCal my whole life, and never had the money, car, or crazy enough parents to take me to games when I was younger. I have seen plenty of games at Angels Stadium, and a handful at Dodger Stadium, when the A’s were in town, but only one game at the Coliseum.
That game: The Scutaro walk-off. I guess I chose the right game to go to.
I may or may not get the chance to come back to the Coliseum before the A’s move (if they make the playoffs I have promised myself I won’t miss it this time.)
But if I never set foot there again, I am okay with it, because my only memories of that field end with Scutaro saving the day, and my Scutaro jersey shirt (bought at that game) will always remind me of it.
dtownmbrown - January 15, 2009
I was at both of those games you missed.
And they are my two favorite games ever. Scutaro always put on a show for me when I showed up.
Rocktopus - January 16, 2009
Zeppelin at Knebworth, in what would be their last UK performance.
My brother and I planned to leave home at 5am to hitch to the festival and try to get tickets from scalpers. What had seemed like a fine plan when full of rum & barley wine the night before was less convincing at 4am with a raging hangover; he went, I didn’t.
Damn.
green star oakland - January 15, 2009
Twins clincher, '06
As sponsor of an anti-cruelty bill, I had to go to the bar’s annual meeting and promote it. My niece and nephew went to the game. It was a good day as the bill passed and the A’s won. I had no idea that neither would succeed at the “next level.”
The Dogfather - January 15, 2009
Also had to leave the Kendall-steals-home-on-FRod game to go to a related meeting.
Screw legislation.
The Dogfather - January 15, 2009
screw legislation?
I didn’t know you worked for the submarine lobby.
monkeyball - January 16, 2009
dammit, itchy trigger finger
“Big Submarine” would have been marginally funnier than “the submarine lobby.”
monkeyball - January 16, 2009
the Kendall faceplant game
I was camping in the high Sierra.
Brian in 317 - January 15, 2009
One day during my senior year of college...
…I felt like seeing some baseball and I almost hopped on the T to go to Fenway. You could generally buy bleacher seats on the day of the game, even though the Sox were pretty good that year. And they had this great young pitcher on the mound, Roger Clemens. But I was lazy and didn’t go. It was April 29, 1986, and I would have seen Clemens strike out 20 Seattle Mariners had I gotten off my lazy butt and gone to the stadium!
As it turned out, the first time I saw Clemens pitch would be also be a momentous occasion, though I didn’t quite know it at the time.
It was later that summer and the A’s were in town. The series opened on July 7, with Clemens facing an A’s team that seemed to be going nowhere. They had canned manager Jackie Moore a couple weeks earlier, lost most of their games in the interim, and had just hired Tony LaRussa to take the helm. This was his first game managing the A’s.
And they were facing Roger Clemens, who was 14-1, having just lost his first game after a phenomenal start to a great season.
Pitching for the A’s was a guy who, at that point, was best known for accidentally propositioning a guy in drag: Dave Stewart.
It was a great night. The A’s won. Jose Canseco, well on his way to winning Rookie of the Year, and Dave Kingman, still one of baseball’s great douchenozzles, hit back to back homeruns in the 6th to send Clemens to the showers. Kingman’s homer was one of the most amazing hits I’ve ever witnessed. Watching Kingman hit was like watching a screw unwind, and his homers were often incredible bombs. This one sailed far over the Green Monster. I swear it was still going up when it left the stadium. And it was Dave Stewart’s first win in an A’s uniform.
Little did I know that, in at least two important ways, I’d witnessed the beginning of a dynasty: Dave Stewart’s first win and Tony LaRussa’s first game managing for the Oakland A’s.
Here’s a box score and play-by-play for any obsessives out there.
GreenNGoldSooner - January 15, 2009
Damn.
I’m jealous. What part of Oklahoma are you living in these days?
ChrisCEIT - January 16, 2009
Norman
Boomer Sooner!
GreenNGoldSooner - January 16, 2009
Great story
I remember that game very well. Definitely one of my favorites because, as you stated, it was the start of something really, really special. For La Russa, for Stew, for the A’s, for us.
67MARQUEZ - January 16, 2009
Incidentally, in a world filled with actors who can't do a Boston accent...
…Robin Williams may set the record for worst Boston accent of all time (though Rob Morrow in Quiz Show gives him a pretty good run for his money).
GreenNGoldSooner - January 15, 2009
oh, gahd
Yeah, Morrow’s accent in that was terrible.
monkeyball - January 16, 2009
Two sorta-misses
First, the year that Canseco was traded out of the on-deck circle. I was at the game but had uncharacteristically left my radio behind in order to be sociable to a gentleman I had invited to join me that night. You could feel the buzz in the place, but I had no idea what was happening because I had no radio. Moral of the story: Never leave the radio behind, and only date guys who love baseball.
The other regret was a pre-season Bay Bridge Series game just last year. It was a cold, dreary Saturday, and I decided to stay home and watch the game on TV. A good friend (thanks, LTF) called late in the game to tell me that, when she turned around during the 7th inning stretch, she saw Dave Stewart SITTING IN MY SEAT, visiting with Shooty Babitt. Of course, Stew is my all-time number one guy, and I am still kicking myself for that one.
skigurl - January 15, 2009
Wow!
So the moral of that story is, I won’t be bagging on any games.
lynnzgal - January 15, 2009
The Canseco trade
I wasn’t there, but I just returned from the store with my pregnant wife, and turned the game on the radio to hear Bill King try to explain what was going. The problem was, he didn’t know what was going on.
My sisters, who were there, had the same reaction as you.
67MARQUEZ - January 16, 2009
20 in a row!
I still have the ticket! Had to work late but of course as I look back did I really HAVE to work. Listened to game on Radio and then came home and saw the end. My friend who was there still can’t believe I didn’t go. Good to read I’m not alone having missed 20.
fansince1980 - January 15, 2009
2008
i missed the mark ellis walk off grand slam against the angels. had a ticket for like the 10th row off to the side of the plate. it really didnt help that that highlight was played everywhere for a while after. it really rubbed it in my face
travdog6 - January 16, 2009
Beautiful post
I missed some great moments too. With lots of regret.
solscreen - January 19, 2009
The Entire 1988, 1989, and 1990 seasons
I entered high school in September of 1987, discovered girls, and ignored baseball for 4 years. In doing so, I missed the A’s last 3 trips to the big show.
Titus - January 22, 2009
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