Once again, we'd like to thank everyone for entering. All of the stories were fantastic, and we truly mean it when we say that we wish all of the stories could have been finalists. Alas, there was only room for five, and so after multiple re-readings and hours of hand-wringing, hair-pulling, and room-pacing, the field has been narrorwed to the five following stories. Read what your fellow fans have shared with us, and then click the link at the bottom of the page to vote for your favorite essay. There is only one vote per person, and there are no do-overs... so make your vote count! Thanks again to everyone who participated, and good luck to our finalists! The deadline to vote is Friday, September 16th, 2005, at 5pm. No votes received after that time will count toward the final tally.
So without further adieu, here are your five finalists, in random order:
Finalist #1 -- Kelli Tibbens
This essay actually stems back to when Bronson was with the Pittsburgh Pirates up until now. I live in Pittsburgh and, therefore, am a Pirates fan, as well as a Red Sox fan, and I went to a lot of games with my friend and met Bronson there for the first time back in 2000. Through the years he was here in Pittsburgh (2000-2003), I met him and talked to him many times and also went on road trips with my friend just to see him and chat with him.
On February 4, 2003, he got put on waivers and taken by Boston and that nearly broke my heart, but I also realized that’s just the baseball business. Well, 10 days later, I was in a near-death auto accident (I’m completely recovered now) but my other friend went and actually wrote Bronson and told him what happened to me (during Spring Training in early March - I was recovering at home). He was nice enough to go out and buy a get-well card and then sent it right to my house and even wrote a nice handwritten note inside! When I received this, I was so excited, even though I was still in a lot of pain, as I had fractured ribs and some other problems! When I finally recovered to the point I could leave my house, my friends promised me they’d take me to see him somewhere (and they did) and Bronson (literally) welcomed me with open arms and even gave us tickets for the game he was pitching! I watched the playoffs that year (2003) but felt bad that he was “so close” but couldn’t make it, so I was hoping maybe the next year something would happen.
I did get to see him one time in 2004 on a road trip with my friend and chatted with him once again but that was our only trip we could take that season. During the playoffs, I was watching them with my boyfriend, rooting for Bronson, as I always did, hoping things would turn around for him, unlike in 2003. After the first round, Boston won, and I was happy, then the second round, I was getting even happier, then the next round with the Yankees with “The Slap”…boy, that game will never be forgotten, at least not by me! After the Red Sox won that series, I was really getting excited and actually had it in my mind that this was the year they were going to win it all! They started playing the Cardinals in the World Series and then won Game 1…then Game 2…then Game 3…I definitely did not want to miss Game 4! I even pushed all my plans aside to watch Game 4 that night because I had a good feeling they were going to win it all! (Remember I live in Pittsburgh so this is a little awkward for anyone in my hometown!)
My boyfriend and I watched Game 4 and as the game was almost finished, and I knew they were going to win at this point, I started feeling as happy and excited as I did when the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup for the first time back in 1991 (sorry, it’s a Pittsburgh thing!). When the final out was made and I saw Bronson running onto the field, there were so many tears of joy filling my eyes because I realized he had finally done it! He was finally a winner! I honestly don’t think he ever would have done that had he stayed here in Pittsburgh, which is a shame for me to even think about. I used to be so depressed when I thought about him being “taken away” from my team by Boston, but now I’m so happy he did because he deserves to be on a winning team like the Red Sox!
Well, about 10 minutes or so after everything finally calmed down, my boyfriend went into the other room because he said he needed to get a drink of water, and I just sat there on the chair because I was exhausted from yelling and crying so much because I was so happy for Bronson and the Red Sox, therefore, I just closed my eyes. The next thing I knew, my boyfriend said my name so I looked over to see what he wanted and there he was…on his knee, holding an engagement ring, and then asked me to marry him! We are now engaged and getting married in February! I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything better! Needless to say, October 27, 2004 was truly a day both Bronson and I will never forget (for different reasons, of course) and I will always be a fan of Bronson’s no matter what team he’s on!
Finalist #2 -- John Cloyd
In almost 50 years I've had more than a few baseball moments, yet my favorite moment was really not mine at all, but my son's. Ty was born to love baseball, and in his 9 years I've never seen a more fanatical Sox fan. He comprehended the game, the players, the rivalries very early on, watched the games on TV, listened to them with me on the radio as he fell asleep, virtually all of his school essays are about - you guessed it. As a player he is a coach's dream; I give him a 25 pitch per day limit and he hits it every day, throwing to me, his friends or just at targets, true dedication. Being his Dad as well as his sometimes coach, I've always stressed one message - what makes me proud of you is not how you play, but that you are a good person. Yes it sounds sappy, but I believe it, and I believe that he has come to embrace this as well. When it came time to get his "baseball cards" for Little League this year Ty had to decide who to put as his favorite player. The decision was instantaneous - Bronson Arroyo, and it was this decision that brought me to my favorite baseball moment.
Two weeks ago Bronson played a concert in Portland, Maine, and as luck would have it we were vacationing in Maine at the time. There was really no decision to be made as to how the day would be spent - we'd had plenty of fishing, swimming, kayaking - this transcended mere vacationing. Joining the many Arroyo fans in Portland to listen to Bronson play, I watched my son lose himself in the music (he comes from a long line of musicians), then join the crowds for an autograph session. The autograph was really secondary, what mattered to Ty was just meeting his hero, and he had been planning it all week. "Dad, do you think I can give him one of my baseball cards with his name on it?" Ty knew Bronson would be giving things to other people, and he wanted to be different and give something to Bronson. As the line wound down, and the rain startted he became more and more excited. Finally, as I stood back, Ty got the chance to meet his hero and give him his baseball card. Knowing how deep his love for the sport is I could sense how overwhelming the moment was for him, and seeing his elation was one of those moments that makes you glad to be a parent. The best baseball moment, however, happened as we were walking back out into the rain, when my son looked up at me and said "Dad, I think he's a really nice person."
Finalist #3 -- Joey Quattrini
Hi, my name is Joey Quattrini and I am a huge fan of Bronson Arroyo. I just
turned 10 and I love to play baseball and guitar. It’s hard to choose the
most important thing to write about to do with baseball. I am going to my
first Red Sox game on August 28th and can’t wait. I was chosen to be on my
town’s Nine year old Summer All Star Team and that was pretty awesome. I
had so much fun. We had really nice uniforms and I learned so much. I am a
pitcher too, just like Bronson. And I even have long hair just like his. I
had some good games and some not so great while pitching, but one game that
sticks out in my mind is when I had walked quite a few and then I started
throwing the strikes. The coaches kept yelling things out to me and trying
to help me to just throw the ball and not aim it and I was getting pretty
nervous. Finally it all came together and at the end of the game the
coaches gave me the “game ball”. I was so excited, it was my first game
ball. My mom was so happy for me that we went to Modells and bought a case
for it and it is in my room on my shelf. That was a great day to remember.
I hope to meet Bronson some day. It was even written in the paper on the
front page that he was in my town visiting a friend at the limo store.
Maybe next time I’ll see him!
Finalist #4 - Tami Myers
My favorite baseball memory is the times I spent with my father at Fenway Park. The love of baseball and the Red Sox is something my father and I have always shared. Growing up I would go to every opening day at Fenway Park with my dad. A member at the country club where he worked had season tickets and the tickets were the best. They were fourth row behind home plate. He would give my father the tickets for every opening day and then some games throughout the season. It was some of the best times I shared with my dad. The feeling you get when you go up the runway and you see the green monster just can’t be beat. I don’t think fans of other teams can truly appreciate the feeling you get from the atmosphere at Fenway. From the sounds and the smells and the compassionate fans there is no better feeling. I loved being there with my dad.
My dad would share baseball stories of all the Red Sox greats. I treasure those days at Fenway with my dad and the memories we shared. I’ve been a Red Sox fan since the day I was born and I’ve been through all the ups and down with the team just like all of Red Sox Nation. In October of 2003, when Boone hit that homerun to end our season, my father looked at me and said “I’ve seen many heartaches with the Red Sox and I think they will win it when I die.” I said “Dad, don’t talk like that.” I then said “Well, dad if that is the case then if the Red Sox win the World Series after you die I will know you are alright.” He laughed, rolled his eyes and said “maybe next year will be our year”.
Spring training of 2004 came around and my dad was so excited about the season. He felt getting Schilling was a step in the right direction and he liked what Theo was doing. On April 28, 2004, my daddy passed away. I lost my best friend that day. At that point, I told everyone this was our year. When we were down 3 games to the Yankees, I told everyone not to worry this was our year. When the last out was made and the Red Sox had won, I cried my heart out. Not only did the Red Sox win the World Series but I knew then that my father was okay and he was in a better place. Some people say to me that my dad never got to see the Red Sox win the World Series and I say “Yes he did. He had the best seat in the house.”
I miss my dad very much but I know that as I watch every Red Sox game he is watching too. I’ve passed the love of the Red Sox and Fenway on to my sons and I try to get them to Fenway as often as possible so that they too can experience the joys of my childhood. My fondest baseball memories are any days that I spent with my daddy either at Fenway or in front of the tv watching the Red Sox.
Finalist #5 - Hillary McBride
On June 21, 2005, my U-14 softball team made it to the Championships. In this league, we play six innings, with each pitcher only being allowed to pitch a maximum of four innings.
Although I am the starting pitcher, for this championship game my coach decided to throw the other team for a loop and put me in to begin the third inning. Before I went in, we were losing 4-5. The other team was all excited – shouting and cheering. As soon as my first warm-up pitch left my glove the entire bench went silent. Even though this isn't as amazing as making 55,000 people shut up like Curt Schilling did in Game 6 of the ALCS, it was still very cool to me.
I realized as I was taking the mound that I would be pitching at the same time as my favorite pitcher and baseball player, Bronson Arroyo.
I held the other team at 5 runs runs, striking out seven, helping my team to win 8-5. That night, both Bronson and I helped lead our teams to victory. It was a great feeling to win it all with my friends who I've been playing with since kindergarten. And this is only the beginning – we have our title to defend next season!
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