Parking near the ballpark is no walk in the park. We're here
to see Bill "The Spaceman" Lee, 65, who played for the Red Sox and the
Montreal Expos, when Montreal had Baseball. I remember his Topps Card. Pitching
with a space pack on. He had a moon ball. I remember him winning a lot of
games. The Spaceman was breaking his own record as oldest pitcher to win a
professional game, I had to see this old man suit up for a minor and
independent league club, who was hosting a team from Maui. Who's heard of these teams? At the field were fans here to to see
one man. The aforementioned Spaceman.
We're meeting Jake at the gate. We have two printed tickets.
I'm with Maggie. We've been in the car one hour, driving to and looking for a
place to park the car. I don't want to miss the first pitch, and am showing
signs of irritability. I said something wrong. It turns out it's not sold out.
Jake got a wristband and we traded our tickets for wristbands. And we were in
the stands for opening pitch. We couldn't have timed it better. Except for Jake
standing in line alone while we fought before finally parking the car.
The old man went to work and was hitless through 4 innings.
The luck wouldn't last. Lee gave up 3 runs in the 5th. It doesn't faze him. He
gets up to bat and hits an RBI, 3-1 Maui. The Pacifics of San Rafeal, tie it up
in the 6th inning 33. But #20 on hits a one run shot to take back the lead 4-3.
That's when a relief pitchers stands up.
Maggie goes for food. Asks if I want anything. I say no but now I do. I'm hungry and have to go to the bathroom. Jake and I play catch up. I
find out about the girl who dropped him off, the one he spent the day with. I
get the last bite of Maggie's sausage.
I stretch my legs and wind up Maui's dugout. And see a
pitcher in a hooded sweatshirt reading Livestrong walk by. Just today Lance
Armstrong relinquished all 7 of his Tour victories, to stop the fight agents
agent's doping chargers. This, two days after Bortolo Colon of the A's was
banned for 50 games for testosterone. And Mekly Cabrarra of the Giants, for the
exact same thing. I turn to look for the 65-year old pitcher. Going for the
win. How could his still be doing if he was doing the drugs these guys are
doing? He's here because of other drugs. He's happy to be here. From outer space.
Space man gives up a run. It's 4-4.
I'm sitting next to a woman and we get to talking. She's
from Boston and grew up watching the Red Sox. Of course she remembers the
Spaceman." He used to say some bizarre things. Kara Ann Smith is an
attorney. And she's getting real kick out of this pitching performance. She
takes photos and has been sending texts to her brothers who still live in New
England. "They're not responding. I keep forgetting they're three hours
later. They have to work tomorrow." Smith recalls working at Fenway during
the Spaceman's heyday. "I was going to school in Canada but when my friend
accepted a job for ten of her friends, running stats I hitched down—It was
great!"
Now in the bottom of 7th. The bases are loaded because of an
intentional walk that no one can figure out. And the pitcher throws to DJ
Dixon. And he hits a 3-run double, 7-4. In the 8th Space man comes up to bat
for the third time, he drags a bunt down the 3red-base line and moves the
runner, who would soon score over to third. Spaceman was called out at first,
but it was close. Now up 9-4, The Spaceman, all 65 years of him, was going too
close it out and beat the record.