First off, even though I joke a lot in this blog – this is all true. All of it. Before the confession, a little background.

My Grandparents used to have L.A. Dodgers Season Tickets. My Grandparents and many of my family love the Dodgers, and it was passed on to me. Living in San Bernardino, I took every opportunity to get out of town. Going to a Dodger game was like a dream. We had good parking and good seats, and it felt like we were part of the “in” crowd going to the game. Our family wasn’t rich, but the times I spent with my Grandparents at those game were the best.

Grandma would yell down to Steve Garvey, “Belt one out of the park, Garvey” from her seat, and I would kid her that one day Steve would look back up at her and say, “This one’s for you, Josephine,” and belt one out good for her.

We would live and die through the ebbs and flows of the seasons. We would find new heros in the ever changing line up, but Tommy Lasorda was the ever trusty captain guiding the team to victory (w e always hoped).

I remember in the early 80′s pulling off the freeway to listen to a Dodger game when they were in the playoffs. I remember Fernandomania. I remember believing that Vin Scully has the best announcer voice ever. I didn’t think the Dodgers could be more magical, then 1988 happened.

Let me rattle off some names of the Dodgers in 1988;
Mike Scioscia
Mike Marshall
Fernando Valenzuela
Orel Hershiser
Mickey Hatcher
Steve Sax
I could keep going, but it was a great lineup.

The planets lined up for these guys, and they made it to the play offs, and contrary to the naysayers, they went to the World Series. It was amazing. The were going to the big show. The heros on the diamond were going up against the Oakland A’s. The saddest thing was that my Grandfather didn’t live to see it.

Right after my Grandfather passed away, I moved in with my Grandmother to look after her a bit, and vice versa. At that time, she still had the Season Tickets, and I remember the feeling when she spoke the words, “Jeff, do you want to go to game one of the World Series with me?” Well, heck yes!

Going to a regular Dodger game was incredible, but going there for game 1 of the 1988 was amazing. So many people, and the air was electric with excitement. I’ll never forget, Debbie Gibson sang the national anthem. Then, the game began.

The Dodgers would not have an early win, but would have to struggle under the weight of La Russa’s A Team. My World Series Euphoria would fade to disbelief as the score sat at 4 – 3 Oakland at the bottom of the 9th inning. I leaned over to Grandma and said the words I wish I could have taken back, “Well Grandma, let’s go,” she nodded and excepted defeat from the ball team up the coast.

We walked out to the car, trying to forget what we just saw happen in Dodger stadium, and made the drive home. We were on the onramp to the freeway, and we wanted to make up for our lack of faith in the Dodgers and turned on the radio. I heard nothing but a roar, it was almost like it was in between stations, but it wasn’t. Grandma asked, “What happened?” They won, I replied.

There are plenty of times I wish I could take back a decision I’ve made in life, and that was one of them. Every time I see a sports channel shows a “Best Moments in Baseball History,” I know that the number #1 moment will be the magical, fist pumping in the air, Kirk Gibson homerun that won game one of the 1988 World Series – that I almost saw. Sigh.

Kids, always stay to the end.

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1. My name is Jeff, and this is my Dumb Blog