Babs Meet Buehrle

I grew up dreaming of meeting a baseball player someday.  Every year my dad took me to Shea Stadium to see the Mets play.  We enjoyed going for doubleheaders, which meant over eight hours of baseball and batting practice.  I loved every second of it. 

At a young age, the closest I came to meeting a ballplayer was sitting in the family section at Shea Stadium.  My dad would always tip one of the ushers, and we would have amazing seats.  One time we sat right behind Darryl Strawberry’s wife, and their new baby, Diamond Strawberry.  At the time, Darryl was a superstar (in the sports and drug worlds).  Another time we sat next to Lee Mazilli’s father, who gave me glossy baseball cards of his son.  We also rode an elevator once with Tim McCarver (in a cowboy hat).  These brief encounters were some of the highlights of my child.

Babs is spoiled already, and I love it.  This past Saturday she was held by Mark Buehrle, one of the best pitchers in baseball, and one of only twenty major league players ever to pitch a perfect game.

I had met Buehrle and his wife at the Ellen show on Thursday, and he said since we’ll be at the game on Saturday, he would love to meet Lucy and Babs.  We were excited, especially Lucy, being a life-long White Sox fan.  Mark Buehrle is a hero to Chicago South-Siders.

In typical LA fashion, we arrived down in Anaheim around the third inning, and I wasn’t sure if the meet and greet was going to happen.  Jamie Buehrle, Mark’s wife, had my business card, and she was supposed to text me.  As soon as we got to the game she did!

We met Jamie by the Angel’s team store at the end of the fifth inning, just as Babs vomited.  As Lucy was cleaning up the mess, Jamie brought us to Mark in a hallway right outside of the clubhouse.  He was so cool again, and Mark and Jamie chatted about how much they enjoyed their “Ellen” experience. 

The Buehrle’s said how they felt lucky to get tickets to the show, and I was thinking… “We are lucky to be meeting you!”

Mark took some pictures with Babs, and then all of us.  Just before Mark left, he pointed out that Babs had some fluids exiting her nose, which we cleaned up immediately. 

Yep…Babs met a future Hall of Fame pitcher the day before her seven month birthday.  Impressive entrance into this world, my dear baby.