Having grown up 30 minutes outside of the legendary, squeaky-seated, Fenway Park, I was more than spoiled with the access I had to baseball’s most fabled diamond. Over the years, while in attendance at the quirky, and ever-so-dated playing ground, I’ve been able to witness some incredible talent. As a baseball junkie, any time a historic player made his way to Boston, I would do whatever I could to make sure I reserved one of those comfortless chairs in the crowd.
On this particular date, June 26th, 2018, I was fortunate enough to lounge right behind the opposing team’s on-deck circle, a mere perfect angle for a MLB hophead, like me, whose interested in getting an up-close view to see how the best ballplayers on Earth prepare for their ensuing battle with the enemy. On this very night, the road team’s lineup happened to include two of the game’s greatest. Batting 2nd for the Los Angeles Angles, was 26-year-old Mike Trout, and hitting two spots behind him, was the storied slugger, Albert Pujols.
Both baseball heroes were at different stages in their big-league careers. Trout was the present poster child of the sport, as the 5-tool star had already won two AL MVPs, and five Silver Slugger Awards. At the rate he was at, it was clear that his trophy case would continue to expand in the ensuing seasons. Pujols was a 38-year-old aging icon, who dominated the game during his years with the St. Louis Cardinals (2001-11). In his long stint with the Red Birds, the renowned first baseman hit 445 home runs, giving him a legit shot to reach the borderline-inaccessible 700 club before Father Time catches up to him. Because of their stark distance in age, it felt like I was in an MLB Time Machine that spawned me into Yankee Stadium in 1951, where a rookie Mickey Mantle, and a 36-year-old Joe DiMaggio, who was playing in his final season, shared the field.
There’s a part of me that feels bad for focusing this blog on the opposition. So let me include a few tidbits about the home team. In the first inning, the great Mookie Betts hit a solo home run. It was one of his 32 longballs of the year. This was especially cool to see because Betts went on to win the AL MVP that year, edging out Trout. On the bump, David Price, the 2012 AL CY Young Award winner, pitched well, throwing six strong innings, while allowing just one earned run, and striking out seven.
Alright, back to the focal point. What makes this experience ever-so-special was because the two aforementioned superstars, Trout and Pujols, have since continued to rewrite baseball history. In 2022, Pujols joined Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in the remarkable 700 homer club. He wound up finishing his career with 703, so the fact that I got to see one of the four men in the game’s rich history to clobber 700 home runs is pretty sick. Trout, though, in recent years, he’s had to battle through various injuries, has put together a jaw-dropping career. A résume so impressive that, had he decided to retire today, would be strong enough, from a statistics standpoint, to earn him a plaque in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. After finishing runner-up to Betts in 2018, Trout snatched up his third AL MVP in 2019. To date, only 11 other players have won at least three league MVPs. You might recognize some of the names: Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Jimmie Foxx, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Mike Schmidt, Joe DiMaggio, and two of Trout’s former teammates: Pujols, and Shohei Ohtani.
What it thrill it was to watch two of the best perform at a ballpark that’s had its gates open since 1912.
Life Lesson: Appreciate the greatness of others. It’ll encourage you to see it in yourself.
Jeremy’s Journal is Jeremy’s way of expressing his gratitude to the world. At the end of each 500-1,000 word post, he will include a ‘Life Lesson’ of some kind. His goal is to remind himself, and his readers, how awesome everyone’s journey can be when perceived through the proper lens.