| When Cal Ripken announced his plans to retire after this season, Mike & I thought that even though Sean was really too young for an Orioles game, maybe he ought to go anyway so he could tell his granchildren that he saw Cal Ripken, Jr. play. After considering a few different games available, we picked a Friday night game in August against the Red Sox. Of course that was the only day the entire month that it rained - and did it rain. Mike & Sean waited it out and the game was called after an hour or so. The game was rescheduled for Saturday, September 15. Sadly, we all know what happened to all baseball, football, etc., that week. Sean was such a sport about it, he sort of thought that sometimes they play, sometimes they don't - you just didn't know for sure. The game was rescheduled again for Friday afternoon, October 5, and it was to be Cal's third-to-last game ever. We were so nervous to even say anything about it coming up lest it be jinxed! Fortunately for all, the weather couldn't have been more beautiful and the day was a smashing success, with Sean bringing home a Cal Ripken foul ball from his second at-bat of the game. The seats were fantastic, third row 3rd-base box seats, and the ball girl was very kind to heed the urgings of Mike & Sean's neighbors when it was time to bestow that souvenir of a lifetime upon a lucky youngster. At the time, however, Sean was more interested in "that silly" Oriole Bird!! |
