The Greatest Trip Ever

This isn't the greatest pic quality wise because it was taken from my Iphone, but it will forever be the greatest memory of mine.  In case you had no idea, I'm a HUGE Braves' fan.  I've been following the team since 1990.  David Justice was the first player I fell in love with when I was 12.  Chipper Jones was called up three years later, and seventeen years later he's looking like he'll play one more season before retiring.  Well, the guy who managed these two, Bobby Cox, decided that this year was going to be his last.  He's the guy being hoisted up in this picture.  Now, if I can dry my blurry eyes for a second, I can let you know about Josh and I's latest vacation trip to Atlanta.  It has by far been the greatest trip ever! 

So Bobby tells us at the beginning of the season this is his last one as the Braves' skipper.  That prompts Josh and I to go to the last two games of the season because we just knew they would do something special for Bobby.  Bobby was the manager back in 1978...the year I was born!!  He managed the Braves' until 1981 when Ted Turner fired him.  They made Bobby the General Manager in 1985 and in 1990 he decided he needed to be the manager again.  And manager of the Atlanta Braves has been his role for the past 21 seasons.

Just how hard is it to let go a man whom you've looked to like a grandfather-figure most of your life??  Yeah...that hard.  The Braves got me through the hardest part of my life--the teenage years!!  haha  We were very fortunate this year to go to the games we went to.  The Saturday game ended up being the tribute to Bobby Cox given before the game.  It was amazing!!

Players from Bobby's past all gathered together to honor the greatest manager baseball has ever seen.  It was the ultimate privilege to be a part of this!  My favorites like, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Javy Lopez, Fred McGriff, Mark Lemke, and Marquis Grissom were a part of the tribute.  They also had historical players whom I had heard of, but never saw play:  Sid Bream, Phil Neikro, Dale Murphy, Clarence Jones, and Hank Aaron just to name a few.  It was just spectacular, jaw dropping, and just breath taking.  The hardest part was getting through Chipper's speech.  I could relate to everything Chipper said about Bobby and the things he accomplished as a manager.  I totally lost it when Chip started to choke up.  How could I not??  The greatest thing about my childhood was coming to an end.  And to think:  I have to do this all over again when Chipper retires--which is probably next season!

                            The utmost special moment for me: 

                                     David Justice breaks apart from the crowd to walk over to the dugout and hug Chipper.  My two favorite ball players ever.  I remember Chipper's start to his career.  David took him under his wing and helped him to be the greatest third base switch hitter baseball has ever seen.  Well, in my eyes anyway.  This was such a tender moment for me to capture.  To watch my two favorites reunite and to still show the love and respect for each other.  Yep, I cried buckets.

So, what better way to end this beautiful memory for me??  We go to Sunday's game.  The Braves were fighting for a chance to make it to the playoffs this season.  We won Sunday's game which meant that we needed the San Diego Padres to lose in order to clinch the Wild Card spot.  This was absolutely the greatest day ever in Atlanta!!  Ok, maybe second greatest considering what I just blogged about!  But after our win, we stayed at Turner Field for an REO Speedwagon concert.  To me and Josh they were not all that entertaining, but Atlanta sure seems to love them!  So after what seemed like forever, we went down by the dugout with about 1000 other fans who stuck around to watch the last three innings of the Padres/San Fransico Giants game.  The Giants came through for us and beat the Padres, which meant the Braves were in the post season for the first time since 2005!!  We watched on the jumbotron the guys celebrate in the clubhouse underneath us.  Then after what seemed like forever, they ran out on the field and celebrated with us!  David Ross, our back up catcher, sprayed us with beer!!  It was the best!!  We were chanting, "Bobby!  Bobby!" and the team lifted Bobby on their shoulders!!  It was like a dream come true!  To be in Atlanta...on Turner Field...celebrating a playoff spot with my boys!!  It was truely a moment I will never forget!  Here's a few of the shots of the celebration!!  Even though we got knocked out of the playoffs by the Giants in round one, this really was my favorite season ever!!

Brian McCann and Rick Ankiel

                Our Skipper hugging Jason Heyward (RF)

The guys running onto the field from the clubhouse underneath us.  Brian and I made eye contact when he first came out and started screaming at each other!  It was priceless!!

               Our crowning moment!!