One of the saddest aspects of being a sports fan is watching the deterioration of a great athlete. It’s difficult to see a once great basketball player who used to thrill you with his drives to the basket start dribbling the ball off of his foot and getting dunked on by lesser players. You cringe when a running back whom was once a staple of ESPN highlights can’t hit the hole with the same explosiveness and gets caught in the backfield more often than not. You put your hands over your eyes or just turn away when a boxer gets old and can’t get off punches and turns into a punching bag…
They have become so beloved and you feel such a personal bond with them that their decline seems to hurt you more than them. You know they’re not getting the job done anymore, but you keep thinking, “He’ll be back”…and you get rewarded…
Well, as part of our family tradition of attending Angel games every Fourth Of July, I witnessed such an event. Vladimir Guerrero was and is the face of the Angels, even as Torii hunter has become the fans’ darling. Guerrero’s amazing consistency, his big swing, and engaging smile has put him above reproach by Angel fans, even as his post season failures stick out like a sore thumb…
This season Guerrero, in the last season of his contract, has struggle health wise and performance wise. When he is at the plate, with runners on base, he is more likely to either take a mighty cut and produce a pop fly out, or hit into rally killing double plays. than produce the big hit. He looks to have aged 5 years overnight…
Yet in the sold out crowd, there were more fans with Guerrero jerseys on than any other player. He grounded out twice and singled, and when he came up with the bases loaded and the Angels down by a run in the seventh inning, and the crowd on its feet at full throat, he predictably and sadly grounded into yet another double play. The Angels scored a run, but watching him slump his shoulders and with his head down back to the dugout, you could feel for the fans. One fan dared to boo, and he was met by menacing glares usually reserved for Dodger fans. But in the eighth inning, with the team up by 4 runs, he came up with two runners on base, and it was almost sad as the crowd was resigned to another double play, but at least they would be closer to witnessing the big fireworks show…
The Orioles pitcher threw a fastball, and the Mighty Casey, er, Vladdy, took a mighty swing—and the ball was sent into orbit, and landed way beyond both bullpens, at least a good 450 feet away. The crowd exploded, and brought its’ favorite if fading son back for a curtain call…
It was an aging Jordan swooping in for a last dunk, Tyson landing a haymaker, Rice getting behind the defense for a touchdown. It made for a perfect capper to the night…
And Sunday Guerrero not only played in the field for the first time all season, but he hit another home run. Maybe, just maybe, the final chapter has not been written. I know over 42,000 fans and one View From The Beach writer who hope not…
