Atlanta Braves: What’s Your Favorite Moment?
As I was unwinding on a late Saturday night, I thought I would continue my latest television binge, which happened to be the current season of Top Chef. This season is located in Boston, and for one of the challenges they were forced to use baseball themed ingredients to serve a distinguished group of guests below the Green Monster at Fenway Park.
As the show progressed each contestant would go into a little spiel about their experience with baseball. Most of it had to do with a particular memory that either involved an epic game, or a family member. The episode depicted just how special this game is, and how people often develop an emotional connection to it.
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Baseball, more than any other sport, is tied to memory. We have a fondness, and nostalgia for this game that sticks with us. So, thanks to Top Chef, I thought I would get a little discussion started; what is your favorite moment as an Atlanta Braves fan? I’m 23, so I can’t recall landmark moments such as Sid Bream’s slow-sprint around third or the World Series victory in 1995. My moment is more specific, but it is very special to me. Later, I will delve into my most heartbreaking memory as a Braves fan, but for now let’s focus on the positive.
My best memory as a Braves fan is my first memory. I was 8 years old and my family finally took a vacation to go see the Braves play in person. We lived in central North Carolina, so any trek to a Major League Baseball park was at least 6 hours.
It just so happened the weekend that fit our schedule best was a road series against the Baltimore Orioles. So, we loaded up the car and set out for Maryland.
Camden Yards offers tours of the ballpark, so at my mother’s behest we decided to enjoy one before our first game. Before the tour began the tour guide went into a long list of dos and don’ts. The biggest no-no on the list was talking to a player, but what were the chances we would actually see one?
We set off on the tour and I was enamored with everything. I had never even been to a Major League game and I was getting to see the inside of the ballpark? As if just being there didn’t excite my little 8 year-old heart enough, three gentlemen then began to saunter down the hallway.
Leading the charge was Braves third basemen, and 1999 NL MVP, Chipper Jones. Slowly following behind him were Hall of Famer John Smoltz, and slugging catcher Javy Lopez. If I remember correctly, Smoltzy was injured at the time and had not yet returned to form as both a dominant closer and dominant starting pitcher.
All I could do was stare. Inside I was screaming and asking for an autograph, but I was too polite to break the rules so adamantly spouted earlier by the pimple-faced tour guide. Despite not being able to speak to them it still cemented me as a Braves fan forever. I was three feet away from baseball immortals (and a really handsome guy that could hit).
That night Greg Maddux faced off against Mike Mussina. Maddux gave up 3 runs over 7 innings, and nailed down the win 6-3. Andres Gallaraga, and Andruw Jones each recorded a hit and John Rocker recorded a four pitch walk in the briefest of appearances.
Ever since that series I have loved baseball and the Atlanta Braves more than anything except for my friends and family, though they might argue I love the Braves just a tad more.
The best part of Tomahawk Take is our diverse community. We have fans of all ages so we are bound to have a variety of favorite memories. Enough of my yammering, let’s hear your favorite moment!
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