Baseball is such a fabulous sport for so many reasons. All of those reasons I won’t get into today. 

But what’s so incredible about baseball is the way it connects generations. Grandfathers to fathers. Fathers to sons. I find it almost romantic in a way. The way my grandfather took my dad to ball games at Connie Mack and The Vet to see Dick Allen, Michael Jack Schmidt and the Phillies when he was just a young seamhead (he’s now an older seamhead). 

And 30 years or so later my dad is taking me to the Vet to watch Scott Rolen and Vicente Padilla and those not so Fightin’ Phils ball clubs. 

He’s told me about great memories he had at ballgames as a kid. Like seeing Willie Mays. And I will always have my memories.

One memory in particular may be a bit odd. It is very specific. But its etched into my seamhead forever. And I am 100% certain my unborn children and grandchildren will be sitting starry eyed lost in my story….

And this story, my friends, is Todd Pratt. 

Maybe you do not remember him. 

Maybe you do remember him. Maybe you remember his walkoff home run Game 4 of the 1999 NCLS.

Not Me

What a memorable baseball moment. But that’s not the real Todd Pratt game. 

Career .251 hitter. 49 total homeruns. 

Honestly, when you look at his numbers he wasn’t a bad backup catcher. 

But for whatever reason, I’m not totally sure, I HATED HIM. 

10 year old me absolutely despised Todd Pratt. 

Like I said, I’m not sure why. I mean, he wore my number 3 and played my position and played for my favorite team. For a young baseball nerd that’s generally a recipe for a shirsey. 

But nope not for 10 year old Mr. Baseball.

So anyway, I’m at Citizens Bank Park in 2004. The year it opened.

And it was glorious. I remember walking out and seeing the green of the grass on the ballfield. Compared to the old Vet, the Bank was a palace. (It’s still one of the nicest ballparks I believe)

People talk about staying “present”. Well as an 11 year old kid, whos thoughts only consisted of playing baseball and watching baseball, this was literally the only place I wanted to be. I mean I was THERE. 

Astros vs. Phillies 

The “Killer Bs” were in town. Biggio, Berkman, Bagwell, Beltran.

But the Phils had a lead. 

Jim Thome hit a 2 run shot in the bottom of the third to give the Phils a 4-1 lead and send Thome’s Homies into a frenzy. 

Sidenote: (I actually don’t remember if Thome’s Homies were a thing yet, but I like to believe they were)

Fast Forward to the bottom of the fifth. My Phillies are rallying. Already scored 3 runs this inning. Now up 7-2.  Bases juiced. And still nobody out! 

And look whos coming up! 

Its not Kirk Gibson on two bad legs. 

It’s Todd Pratt on two healthy legs and 0 fan support from a certain 11 year old in the left field stands.

And just to really reiterate things here. I got to go to one Phillies game a year. We didn’t live close but my mom got tickets for a game through her work. So this was the DAY for me. 

And on my day Mike Lieberthal was not playing. Todd Pratt was.

Back to the game. 

Todd Pratt hit a bullet to the third baseman Morgan Ensberg. Ensberg fielded the ball cleanly, threw it to Jeff Kent at second, who turned and fired it first. A TRIPLE PLAY. 

A clean around the horn 5-4-3 triple play. 

Shock would be my reaction today I believe. Probably some laughing in disbelief. 

11 year old me was so mad. I could not believe that happened on my day at the park. 

But it happened.

My most hated player in the game hit into a triple play. On MY day at the yard. 

So the Phillies were up 7-2. But proceeded to give up two run jacks to Biggio AND Berkman in the 7th. And then a 3 run shot by Eric Bruntlett in the same inning (should he be a part of the “Killer Bs”?)

Final score: Astros: 12 Phillies: 10

What an exciting game. And you know what I remember? You know what’s gonna be what I tell my grandkids?

Todd F-ing Pratt hit into a 5-4-3 triple play. Awesome. 

It is awesome though. Baseball is awesome for specific, random, fantastic memories. 

Some people remember autographs from their favorite player (I did get an autograph from Andy Laroche at a AA game in Tennessee). Some people remember walk off homers, or a spectacular defensive play. Maybe a clinching celebration. 

My memory though is Todd Pratt. Todd Pratt hitting into a 5-4-3 triple play.

Baseball, man. . 

Post note: I’m sure if youre reading this tiny little blog about my baseball life you already know this. 

But Eric Bruntett who homered to give the Astros the lead, turned an unassisted triple play against the Mets while playing for the Phillies. 

Baseball is the coolest.