My Journal- August - September 1997

Monday night I was at the Ranger game (baseball). My friend, Danny, had won tickets, but got stuck working overtime and couldn't attend, so he was generous enough to give them to me! JOY!

So anyway, before I went I looked on www.texasrangers.com to see where my seats were. I discovered they were just past 3rd base right up in front! 7th row! Awesome! Prime foul ball territory. So for the first time in my life, I brought my glove to a game.

My roomate and I moved up to the 3rd row, cuz there was no one sitting there. The game was entertaining, lots of hits, but by the 5th inning, no foul balls had really come our way. I decided to take my glove off and buy an icecream sandwich.

When I finished my icecream, I didn't put my glove back on for some reason. I guess I just forgot, although I was still holding it.

Anyway, it wan't much later when Rusty got up to bat again. "GO RUSTY!" I screamed along with everyone else. I turned away for a second, I don't remember why. But I distinctly remember hearing Rusty hit the ball and the loud sound it made... instead of making a cracking sound, it actually seemed to yell KATIE!!!! I turned my head and looked up and sure enough, the ball was yelling to me, preparing me for its arrival. I looked at it so high up in the air. A white dot against the black sky. So high! It's so high! "Katie, I'm coming!" He whispered (yes, the ball is male). "Be ready to catch me and cherish me for all eternity." As the ball came closer to me, I remember thinking "Really? Are you serious? You really want little old me to catch you? NAH! No way, no ball has ever wanted me before." I almost shrugged the ball off, but as it grew even closer and larger I realized, without a doubt, this ball was coming to me.

It was then I noticed I didn't have my glove on. OH NO!!!! "Wait, dear ball! You must wait for me to don my glove. I'm not prepared for your arrival yet!" I futilly tried to get my hand inside the glove, keeping my eye on the ball. No use! He was coming, ready or not. I think I remember quickly debating with my hands on whether or not they should catch our new friend without the glove, but they won, hands down (uh ha ha ha- sorry, had to say it). So I stuck my closed glove out about 6 inches in front of my body, where I judged it to land. Dang, I'm good! Sure enough, it landed directly in the middle of my closed glove, but it hit so hard that I dropped the glove. The ball fell gently and neatly in front of my feet.

I half expected a scramble, twenty people jumping on me, fighting for the ball. Before I bent down to grab it, I proudly announced my ownership of the newcomer: "I GOT IT!!!!!!!!" I reached down and picked him up. I heard cheers around me as I held him up high, with pride. "I GOT IT!!!!!" I yelled again, in case no one heard me the first time.

It was that second I realized I must be on TV! Yes, cameras everywhere were focusing in on the girl who was lucky enough to catch Rusty's foul ball. Camera flashes were fluttering in my eyes, announcers were running at me with microphones. (well, OK, maybe I'm getting a little carried away). So what did I do? I DANCED! Wooo hooo! I screamed and danced with my ball. Jump? Sure, I jumped, too! I looked out to where I figured the cameras would be and smiled. My 15 seconds of fame will be forever etched in my mind. I felt pats of congratulations on my back. I heard cheers of admiration and wonderment. Yes, it was my glory moment. Nothing could have made me happier. I was in bliss... I WAS CHOSEN!

OK, so finally I sat down as the next pitch was thrown to Rusty. But I couldn't concentrate on the game at that moment, I could only squeal to myself in amazement about how I caught that ball with my glove closed, about how it couldn't have come to me any more perfectly. I couldn't stop smiling.

Times like that are why life is so awesome, ya know? When something so simple, so lucky, so unstrange happens to you and makes you feel special, makes you unable to stop smiling.

Immediately, people were like "can I see it, can I see it?" I hesitantly gave my ball to the guy in front of me to look at. I was fully prepared to kick his face in if he didn't give it back. Thankfully, he did, because you know, I wasn't really in the mood for violence.

It was so exciting holding the ball that all I wanted to do was call everyone I knew right then and there and tell them about my good fortune. But I couldn't.

When I finally got home that night I couldn't sleep, I couldn't get over the excitement. I was also trying to think of a way to get a copy of the game on tape so I could see myself on TV. I just had to! I needed to prove to everyone that I was on TV once in my life, even if it was just local Dallas TV.

The next day I called Channel 39 and they gave me the number of their production studio. They were unable to help me. Then I sent out an email to just about everyone I knew who lives in Dallas asking them if anyone taped the game. No luck. Today I tried calling the Rangers to see if their PR people would be nice to me, but I got voicemail and no one has returned my call.

Rusty was on the Texas Rangers Web site chatting today and I just had to send him a message:

You know, I was thinking about it... Perhaps if I did get a copy of that video, my moment would be deglorified. Maybe it didn't at all happen like I remembered it. Maybe I looked like a moron standing there holding out a closed glove... Yeah, maybe it's better I never get ahold of that video. Could ruin my concept of what happened.

ARGH! Just when I thought I had my desire for a video of the game under control, a co-worker comes up to me and says: "Hey! You're the crazy lady I saw on TV Monday night catching a foul ball at the Ranger Game!" I looked at him and smiled, figuring he was joking. "Yeah, I couldn't believe it." He continued. "There I was, just sitting there and I was like 'Hey! I know that girl!'" HUH? Could he be serious? I grilled him for a while and he wasn't kidding! He said it was plain as day that it was ME on TV, that he recognized me right away. He said I was on for at least FIVE seconds! I'M FAMOUS! COME ONE, COME ALL, I WILL SIGN AUTOGRAPHS FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! AHHH! I NEED a copy of that video!

So, if you happen to be reading this, and happened to tape the Monday night Ranger game, email me! I guess I could maybe force myself to take a look at it. ;-)