Commentary from a Friend.

Quite possibly I had the proudest and most exhilarating baseball experience of my life.  Marc, Sabrina (Marc's wife), Marc's college roommate, Jeff, and I drove down to Chicago on Sunday and were there in plenty of time to roam around and enjoy the crowd.  Carol called my cell around 5:30 and it was so funny as we weren't but 50 yards from each other and then we were waving at each other and then had to close our phones to go in for the big hugs.  We were laughing our heads off.  And then there was the entire family and we were all hugging - god Brian almost had to get on his knees to hug me he's so tall. And Chris being so grown up, and Adam and his wife, Brian's fiancé, Sean's girlfriend and her folks,  Nelson and his parents, Carol's father.  Some guy said he was Nelson's cousin and said he was going to get a hug too.  Anyway it felt so surreal all this attention lavished on us with so much that must be on their minds with what was about to occur.  So we used their cameras to get a group photo of all of them in front of the Wrigley sign.  I told Carol to get on into the field, not to think of us and if we got to see them again fine, if not, next time.  After we parted, Sabrina and Jeff thought they were perhaps the nicest people they'd have ever met.  Marc enjoyed seeing all of them and catching up with Brian who told him the Cubs may take a look at him.  All our fingers are crossed on that note.  Marc was trying to explain to Jeff and Sabrina how we literally lived at the ball field back in Virginia.

So we get up to our seats in the upper deck of right field and luck has it that they are great seats and we're surrounded by the quintessential Cubbie fans.  The national anthem was great with an operatic bass - Carol told me her father lost it in that proud moment - and then the ceremonial first pitch was a wild one by Rex Grossman, the Bear's quarterback.  So now the guy in front of us is yelling the pitcher is a rookie, but saying all nice things.  We of course announce that we're friends of him and I am even wearing my Chesterfield Little league sweatshirt.  Now the whole crowd is with us high fiving.  Turns out this guy in front of us was a former catcher in the Cub's minors for years.  He's about 60 something with his fine looking yuppie son next to him.  Then there's these Chicago guys directly in front of us with a couple of Cardinal fans too but everyone seems to be friends.  So this old guy is giving constant commentary which is all positive noting how the umpire is not going to give a rookie any slack on the strike zone.  He wants to know if he's cocky and we give an emphatic no, to which he says that's too bad.  He kept telling us don't worry, he's doing fine. So at one point Carol calls and I hold the phone up and tell everyone to say hey to Sean's mom to which they all yell wonderful things at her.  It's hysterical.  At one point I called her and Chris answered and I had everyone say hey to Sean's brother.  Again, hysterical.  And these fans are a riot with them yelling at the Cardinal's pitcher - pitch the "bleeping" ball you "bleep".  There are a couple of near rumbles in the stands making it all the more colorful.

So you know the whole pitching time scenario and we were all on the edge of our seats and so proud of Sean and his debut.  So now it's the bottom of the 7th and Carol is on her way to see us and is getting steadily breathless as she climbs the numerous ramps to get to us and wants to know if there's a seat for her - yes, there is right next to us.  By now we've announced to our section that Sean's mom is soon to arrive and when she does the whole section is embracing her and high fiving - all too hysterical to believe.  The old guy holds her by her shoulders and explains that she doesn't know him from Adam but that he is totally confident that her son is going to be just fine.  You had to just love this guy.  Well, now the crowd is going wild with all the hits and runs and everyone is having a blast.  With one out to go Carol had to leave to get back and it's a sad and fond good-bye and we'll catch you next time for sure.

We exited soon after and were just basking in the afterglow of a remarkable moment in life to remember for all of us.  I hope it's but the first of many more to come.  The long ride home was punctuated with many conversations reliving each and every precious moment.  It was a thrill that we could be there and yet wild horses wouldn't have kept us from coming.  Thanks to Rich's cousin Harold for the seats, thanks to the Marshall family for all their hospitality, thanks to all the Little Leaguers for striving to do their best, and thanks to all the Little League volunteers for all their hard work.  Dreams can and do come true!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Ellen, you captured in words..... I miss our exchanges.