My Mom & the Big Red Machine

Dear Mom,
Today is Mother’s Day so I thought I’d reminisce a little. Thanks for doing your best as a mother. You are only as good as the material you have to work with and I have to say you and Dad did great with us 5 boys.

Remember that time in 1975 when just the two of us went to Cincinnati for a couple of days? Dad and Brad went on a fishing trip and you knew how much I hate to fish so we set off and lo and behold we ended up at Riverfront Stadium for a double-header with the Cubs! I was 16 at the time and lived Cub baseball.

For some reason we didn’t get tickets ahead of time so we ended up sitting near the very top of the stadium and couldn’t tell a fly ball from a grounder. Remember how the sea gulls flew below us? The attendance that day was over 50,000. remember the lines to the bathrooms? So do I!

1975, wow. This was the year the Cubs had Bill Madlock, Rick Monday, Jose Cardenal, Manny Trillo and Pete LaCock. Meanwhile, the Big Red Machine was at full steam. Bench, Rose, Morgan, Tony Perez (as far as I know, no relation to Neifi) and just for kicks, Pedro Borbon.

Do you remember who pitched for the Cubs in game one, Mom? That’s right, Rick Reuschel, the ace of the staff. He almost won that game too, tossing a 4-hitter. He lost 2-1 on a Johnny Bench home run late in the game. The Cubs had bases loaded in the ninth but just couldn’t get that big hit when they needed it the most. I guess some things never change.

Mom, the second game was also a bust as the Cubs lost 8-5. the Reds’ bats woke up and smoked a tandem of Cub pitchers with names like Zahn (No, Mom, not Warren Spahn, I said Zahn) and Zamora and Watt and Frailing. I wonder what Oscar Zamora is doing today.

Well, Mom, I had a good time and I think that’s all you cared about. I’m sure it wasn’t your idea of an exciting way to relax and enjoy yourself but you were there for me and I will never forget it. In fact, don’t tell anyone but the best part was just being with you.

I love you.
Your Momma’s Boy,
Tommy