Clinton, IA, home of the Lumberkings which is minor league affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Sitting just on the west bank of the Mississippi River sits one of the oldest stadiums in all of Minor League baseball, Alliant Energy Field. Built in 1937, this historic site has hosted thousands of baseball games throughout the better part of the 20th century. Given all the games that have been played here and all the players that have had the blessing to compete between it's lines, I'm sure the stories are endless. Well...I have one to add to the list!
Just before the seventh inning of a game two nights ago, I was eating some peanuts on the bench talking with a teammate, and I heard a voice over the P.A. system that didn't sound like the announcer. It was a young man speaking of his love for a girl and I froze. Before I could find out where this was happening on the field, I immediately realized what was about to happen. Have you ever been in a moment when you see a car about to get in a wreck or a collision waiting to happen on a football field, where you actually cringe in anticipation of the moment of truth? So, the brave young man falls to a knee in front of the 1200 fans, two teams, a few umpires, and a million bugs that decided the lights of the stadium meant they were welcome at the game too. Now I am not dismissing the fact that these two love birds could very easily have met at a Lumberking game, had their first date there, or maybe they both grew up in Clinton and had gone to games here their entire lives and this was just an appropriate way of capitalizing this once in a lifetime moment. Though I wonder, what is it about the game of baseball with all the players covered in grass and dirt stains, crazy fans eating cotton candy and drinking beer, and the screaming kids that makes it so romantic?
In fact, once when I was in Ogden, Utah where I played my rookie season in 2007, I actually took part in a wedding ceremony at home plate right before the first pitch of a game. Our whole team stood in two lines facing each other and formed a 'bat' tunnel and the bride walked from the on deck circle through it to get to home plate for the quick ceremony. True story. Guys, if you are near that decision time and want to make a memory that will last a lifetime...and give stories for the rest of us...find your nearest baseball field and make her dreams come true!
Oh, and the girl from Clinton said yes!
6 years ago
2 comments:
I was fully expecting this blog to be about you proposing to your girl. What a let down.
You forgot the part at the end after she said yes when an older gentleman came down and announced to the crowd, "See what happens when you listen to Tommy Lasorda!!!!"
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