2006 was an amazing year to be a Detroit sports fan. The Detroit Pistons had recently won the NBA Championship, the Red Wings were one of the best teams in the NHL, and the Detroit Tigers were finally starting to show some life after years of being the laughing stock of baseball.
During the first few days of the 2006 MLB season, I placed a $10 on the Detroit Tigers to win the World Series at 100-1 odds. It was a longshot, but as a passionate Tigers fan, it made the season more exciting and gave me a story to tell if they made a strong run towards the postseason.
My brother and I were die hard Detroit Tigers fans, and our roommate Greg was the biggest Ken Griffey Jr. fan on the planet, so naturally, he rooted for the Cincinatti Reds. After the MLB schedule was released for 2006, we were surprised to see that the Reds would play in Detroit against the Tigers, so I bought three tickets three rows from the field near third base.
As the game got closer and our excitement grew for this game, other friends wanted to tag along. We ended up going to the game in a group of around eight people, taking two cars up to Detroit.
Thank you for joining me as I detail #5 on my list of the ten greatest games I've ever attended. If you're new to this series, welcome! Please read the previous posts here:
#10. 2006 NHL Playoffs Edmonton vs. Detroit Game 1
#8. ND @ MSU Football, 9/23/2006
If you've been following this series, then you know that most of the games on my list have been big events, including NHL playoff games, NCAA Final Fours, and college football bowl games, so how could a regular season baseball game make the list?
You'll just have to keep reading to find out! Thank you for joining me on this journey. We'll jump into what happened in the game itself and then I'll exlain my experience, which was unique to say the least.
The Game
While fifth on my list of the top 10 greatest sporting events I've ever attended in person, this is probably my favorite regular season game, and for so many reasons.
The Tigers and Reds were both out to great starts this season with hopes of making the playoffs. The Tigers jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning, which was needed because Mike Maroth, the pitcher with the most losses in a single season, was on the mound for the Tigers. In the top of the 3rd inning, the Reds scored their first run as Brandon Phillips hit a solo home run. The Tigers countered with two more runs in the bottom of the third, and now had a 4-1 lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the 4th inning, the player whose jersey I wore to the game, Magglio Ordonez, hit a bomb of a home run with two outs, stretching the lead to 5-1. The next two innings were uneventful, and Ken Griffey Jr. and the Reds looked to be giving up or like they were just not good enough to make this game competitive.
Leading off the 7th inning for the Reds, slugger Adam Dunn hit a monster home run, giving the Reds a fighting chance in the game and reducing the lead to 5-2. Maroth was beginning to struggle, and with two outs in the top of the 7th inning the bases were loaded. And guess who was up to bat -- Ken Griffey Jr.
To get the future HOF player out, the Tigers brought in Joel Zumaya, the only player in all of baseball who could throw a 103 MPH fastball at the time.
And then this happened:
In one swing of the bat, Ken Griffey Jr. had given the Reds an unlikely 6-5 lead with a grand slam home run. We all just stood there in shock. I had a huge smile on my face because although I was disappointed, this was spectacular to witness in person. One of the greatest MLB players in history just showed the world he still had something left in the tank.
The game remained 6-5 with the Reds out in front, and the Tigers were running out of time. With two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning, my favorite player, Curtis Granderson, came up to bat. As if this night couldn't get any better, Granderson hit a solo home run to left field to send the game into extra innings.
In the bottom of the 10th, on an error, the Tigers got the winning run to win an incredibly exciting game.
My Experience
As if the game wasn't enough to make this event part of my top ten list, it gets better.
Now I believe that each one of us is in control of our own actions. However, our friends and family influence those actions. A 21-year-old version of myself surrounded by my brother and his friends wasn't exactly on his best behavior.
We began drinking during several stops on our way up to the game. I was not a heavy drinker by any means, and I did not pace myself. Having already had a pint of vodka by the time we reached the stadium, I was wasted. But did that stop me from drinking more? Of course not.
We entered the stadium early and I began drinking beer. Near our seats, there was a single player willing to come over to fans to sign autographs -- Curtis Granderson. An autograph from my favorite player on the ticket stub I used to enter the game was the perfect souvenir and would become the highlight of my collection. I jumped at the opportunity and my brother took this picture of me getting the autograph from Granderson. I remember just saying hello and keeping my mouth shut to not embarass myself.
During the game, I was a mess. I remember kissing my brother's cheek in excitement after a home run. His exact response was, "Mikey, if you weren't my brother I would kill you."
As the game went on, several seats in the very front row opened up. We moved down, and we were now as close as you could legally get to the field. For some reason, I thought that I needed another souvenir to take home with me from this game. I leaned over the rail and began scooping up dirt from the field and putting it in my pockets. And I mean a lot of dirt.
After the game was over, we walked back to the parking lot. I remember singing "Don't Stop Believing" while adding in lyrics that the Tigers were going to win the World Series. Before stepping into Brian's truck (one of my brother's friends), I checked my pockets...and it wasn't there. I had plenty of dirt and random receipts, but the ticket -- it wasn't there!
"You guys, I can't find my ticket," I said frantically as I searched for my Curtis Granderson autographed stub. "Mikey, you don't remember?" my brother asked. "You gave it away," my brother said. My heart sank. He went on to explain how I convinced several kids sitting behind us to take my signed ticket stub as a gift. I then tried to give away my Detroit Tigers jersey, and my brother had to prevent me from giving strangers the rest of my belongings.
We began the drive back, and several minutes into the drive, I took a portion of the dirt in my pocket and threw it at Brian who was driving the truck. "What the hell Mikey," Brian said. "It's okay, I have more," I responded as if he was actually concerned that I would waste my souvenir dirt from the game.
My last memory from this game, other than throwing up and having a massive hangover the next day, is our stop at a grocery store to get food. We were very hungry, so I picked up some snacks to eat in Brian's truck. I was checking out as Brian came over to see what I had picked. I had selected three types of salsa, a glass jar of nacho cheese, a tub of guacomole and a large back of nacho chips. "No, you are not bringing that in my truck," Brian said while laughing. Looking back, I guess this wasn't the best choice of food to eat in someone else's vehicle.
What an amazing game and day. Obviously, I still wish I had my signed ticket, but the story is worth something, right?
Later that year, the Tigers made an incredible run to the World Series. Unfortunately, they lost in the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, so I fell just short of winning the $10 bet that would've made me $1,000 richer.
Thanks for following along with this series. I'd love to hear your comments below.
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