Tribute to My Dad, Part 1 of 2

With Father's Day coming up, this will be part 1 of a 2 part blog to honor of my dad.  As a child growing up in the 70's it was boys who played sports and girls who played with make-up and dolls.  I have to thank my dad for taking the time to teach me about sports, even when it wasn't cool for girls to watch sports.  When I was six I was already listening to Sonics games on the radio and then along came the Seahawks and Mariners.  That was it. I was hooked on sports.  This gave my dad and me a common interest we would share for years to come. 

Some of my favorite times with my dad were spent in the Kingdome at Mariner games.  Both my sister and I were Pepsi Jr. Mariner's, which gave us general admission tickets to seven or eight games a season.  We would get there when the gates opened to watch batting practice and to get the front row seats out in left field. 

I can remember one game in particular my dad splurged and bought us seats on the third base line.  I did not know it then what a special night it would turn out to be or how that night would mean something to me 21-years later.

It was May 6, 1982 and Gaylord Perry was pitching.  During the game my dad caught a foul ball with his bare hands.  I still remember how red they were and how they stung after.  As a kid, to watch my dad make a catch like that was very cool. Not to mention out of us three kids, I was the one who got the ball. 

I did not know until half way through the game if Gaylord wins the game it will be his 300th win.  That night, at 43-years old, Gaylord Perry went out and pitched a complete game to get a 7-3 victory over the Yankees and his 300th win.  I can still remember the celebration on the mound and the fireworks going off.  On the way out we all received a certificate with Gaylord Perry on it, saying "I was there for Gaylord Perry's 300th win" and a place for our ticket stub.

It was an overall great night, sitting on the third base line, my dad catching a foul ball and Gaylord Perry winning his 300th game.  I walked away with my 300th win certificate and a foul ball that I tucked away with my other sports mementos.

I had no clue that 21 years later, this game would come back to play a part in my daughter's life.  Our local sports talk radio station had a promotion on why your child deserved to throw out the first pitch at the Rainiers game on June 20, 2003.  I gave my reasons on why my six- year-old daughter should get to throw out the first pitch and won the promotion.  

What made the Rainiers game special is that it was Gaylord Perry bobble head night and Gaylord Perry would be there to throw out the first pitch.  I learned there were a few people that would be throwing out the first pitch that night.  All I cared about was my daughter was one of them and I would be down on the field with Gaylord Perry. 

The day of the game there we were on the field, me with my foul ball and 300th win certificate and my daughter in her Mariners jersey ready to make a good pitch.  I was able to have Gaylord Perry sign both items and then got to watch my little lefty take the mound and make a pretty good pitch to home.   It was a proud moment to see Gaylord Perry shake her hand and get a picture of the two of them.

Of all the baseball games I attended with my dad, the Gaylord Perry game has been the one that sticks out the most.  To have that memory to share with my daughter and to make our own memory was an amazing moment.

I know going to the game for some dads is their guy's night out.  I can't remember my dad ever going to a game without us kids. I am thankful he took the time to make those memories with us and now those memories I can pass on to my daughter.  Thank you Dad!

Do you have memories with your dad you would like to share?  Tell us under comments.