On This Date 5 Years Ago....

• Ironman92

  

  My wife and I went on Father's Day 2007 to the Reds game. We had front row seats in RF.....about 35 feet from then right-fielder Ken Griffey Jr. The Reds were playing the Texas Rangers and it was Sammy Sosa's final season and he was sitting on 599 career HR.
  
  Sosa did not start and it was in the upper 90's and sunny. During the game every time the pitcher's spot came up for the Rangers a very large man in his 50's (wearing an Adam Dunn jersey) would yell for Sosa during the whole AB. Griffey was messing with this guy, jokingly using his arms to tell him to pipe down and root for the Reds. Griffey and this guy went back and forth much of the first 6 innings. (Griffey, playing the crowd gave him the crazy in the head sign and the been drinking too much sign). The guy chimed back that Griffey was jealous cause he only had 580 HR.
  
  Finally in the 7th Sammy came up and the guy was going nuts wanting that potential 600 HR ball. Sammy grounded out to short.
  
  Coming out for the top of the 8th here comes Griffey walking right out to me (my wife was under the misters) Griffey walks all the way to the wall and says to me (where's that guy at?).....at that moment here comes the large man barreling down the stairs to my aisle seat.....bumps me out of the way. Griffey looks at the guy and tosses him a ball. The guy is shaking as he looks at the ball and sees the scribbled autograph. The guy asked what it said and I told him it says "Sammy Sosa".....the guy in near tears thanks Griffey and Griffey gave him his "Kid" smile and said "Happy Father's Day"
  
  Good Stuff
• karen lotz

  

  Worst thread since last night's Phillips debacle.
• karen lotz

  

  JK, good stuff
• Ironman92

  

  My wife is still pissed about not being there.....too flipping hot
  
  I saw jr with the ball and for a moment thought it was mine....but figured it was for the big guy.
  
  The only bad part of this story was the guy left immediately after Jr gave him the ball???? I guess Sammy was done as he only PH
  
  We got those seats knowing Sammy and Jr were the right fielders and Sammy would be near 600. Sammy hit #599 on Friday and Jr hit #579 and #580 on Saturday.
• BRF

  

  I like your story.
• Ironman92

  

  BRF;1202295 wrote:I like your story.

  
  Thanks man....that couldn't mean more.
• sherm03

  

  That's a pretty cool story.
• Ironman92

  

  sherm03;1202323 wrote:That's a pretty cool story.

  
  Griffey took a lot of shit with all the injuries when we all thought he was going to lead the Reds like he had the Mariners. (some deserved)
  
  But this was a good gesture.....the guy REALLY didn't deserve it at all. Who wears a Reds jersey to the game and roots for the Rangers the whole game?