#47

I'm a "numbers" kind of person...take the address of this blog...what number do you have to type? That's right "47" not "8, 16 18 or 88". What do all these #'s mean?

Well, Dale Earnhardt Jr is my favorite driver, hence the 8 & 88....growing up, Joe Montana was my favorite NFL QB, #16, which leads to my current favorite NFL QB...Peyton Manning, #16 UT/#18 Colts.

But it all comes back to the #47...this belongs to my all-time favorite Brave...former pitcher, Tom Glavine. I can't even remember when he became my favorite, but it's always stuck. My mom & my step-dad and I would spend several weeks a year in Atlanta at the ballpark. That's right, weeks, not weekends...we'd pick a couple of good home stands during the summer and make a vacation out of it. We even flew down to spring training for their last two years in West Palm Beach.

Glavine was drafted out of high school by the Braves & the NHL's LA Kings in 1984. He chose baseball and made his MLB debut in 1987. Oh man, those first few years were rough...but he never quit. He was the bend, but don't break guy...and it drove me nuts! He'd rather walk in a run with the bases loaded, instead of laying one right down the middle that could turn into a grand slam. Most of the time, after he walked in a run...he'd get the next batter to ground into a double play. Hum, give up 1 or 4 or more...I'll take that walk, thanks!

He took a lot of flack in during the players strike in '94. I think this is when I really started to become a fan...he was the player rep, a job no one wanted, but he took on the challenge. As a fan, did I agree with it all? Of course not, but all was forgiven the next fall when he took the mound for Game 6 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians.

It was his time...no longer would he be the guy that "couldn't win the big game"...he pitched his heart out for his team and for the city of Atlanta. Thanks to a David Justice home run, Glavine went on to pitch 8 innings of 1 hit baseball...and earn himself the World Series MVP.

Glavine was a Brave from his debut in 1987-2002. I never thought he'd pitch for another team, except maybe his hometown Red Sox. But by 2003, he was pitching for the enemy...the New York Mets. But after the way he was treated by the Braves front office, I was ready to wash my hands of the Braves..how dare they throw my Tommy out like yesterday's trash.

Here's a guy who at that point was an 8 time All-Star, 2 time Cy Young Award winner, 4 time Silver Slugger & World Series MVP. But I guess Atlanta thought he was washed up. The fans thought he was greedy.

My family & I made it a point to go back to Atlanta the next time the Mets came to town...we got tickets behind home plate and all 3 of us were in Glavine shirts...he was booed every time he stepped on the field, "fans" threw money at him, since they thought that was his reason for leaving. I remember being interviewed by a NY & ATL newspaper. They kept asking "why do you still support him". My answer was simple...."I know a good pitcher when I see him."

Glavine went on to become an All-Star 2 more times and picked up win #300 in Wrigley Field as a Met. #300, I wasn't sure he'd get there, but that was my magic number...the number I knew would get him to Cooperstown. First ballot, 5 years from now...he'll be there...mark my words!

The Braves brought him home in 2008, and I made peace with them. I hate the Mets again. I even thought about driving down to Atlanta today for his jersey retirement ceremony, but couldn't get off work.

He'll go down in history as #47, one of the most accomplished left-handed pitchers of all time, but he'll always be #1 to me.

Some photos from this afternoon's luncheon courtesy of the Atlanta Braves