Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Beauty of The Game

There wasn't much for a Texas Rangers fan to enjoy last night during the All-Star Game. The supposedly premiere pitcher of the American League started and before the first inning was over there was a five-zip hole to climb out of. The Rangers brought a contingent of eight All-Stars to the game and other than closer Joe Nathan's eight pitch, three-up/three-down inning, the production was grim.

But there was a beautiful and classic moment in the game and maybe you missed it. The two parties involved didn't. They knew exactly what had happened.

Forty-year-old Chipper Jones was making the last stop at a summer classic in his incredible baseball career. He has been a joy to watch and a class act for the entire time. It was the sixth inning and Jones was brought in to pinch-hit for the National League.

It was a dribbling grounder just to the left of Ranger second baseman, Ian Kinsler. A routine play to grab and throw out the old-timer lumbering to first base.

That's when Kinsler showed class. He missed it.

The game was well out of reach. It made no difference. It was a simple play and he missed it. He didn't make it look intentional, but somehow the ball bounced just a foot off the end of his out-stretched glove and into right field. Jones cruised into first base with a hit on his final appearance in an All-Star Game.

He knew what Kinsler had done. He grinned from ear-to-ear. Kinsler knew that Jones knew and all of the baseball fans knew that they had witnessed a beautiful act in a grand game.

I guess that's why I like baseball.

1 comment:

Six said...

You notice who the stars of the game were? Cain, Cabrera and Sandoval.

I'm rooting for Rangers/Giants World Series Part II.