Fan Appreciation Weekend

As the regular season began to wind down, the Arizona Diamondbacks planned a spectacular end to this inaugural season. The last home stand between the Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres would be Fan Appreciation Weekend. The Diamondbacks would hold a special celebration each night to commemorate the season. They would be giving away many valuable prizes to say thank-you to their loyal fans. The weekend would end with Fan Appreciation Day on Sunday September 27, 1998. At the end of this game, a raffle would be held with the players and coaches giving the fans the shirts off of their backs. It was an enormous success. The excitement in the stands was very high. Friday night fans brought banners and were led down onto the field to walk around the warning track in the outfield to show off their banners and let the players know how much they appreciated the team. The team responded by winning the first two games of the three game series. It was an incredible end to a fantastic season.

Around the Horn

For many years, 1998 will be remembered as perhaps the greatest season Major League Baseball has ever seen. The inclusion of the expansion teams in Phoenix and Tampa Bay were the major story coming into the season but became merely footnotes to the other accomplishments made during the year. How appropriate that as baseball began it renaissance, I was able to be a part of it and experience the magic as it happened. At each juncture, the Arizona Diamondbacks were connected with these magical moments.

Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa put on a display of home run hitting than has never before been seen and will perhaps never be seen again. Each of these hitters played at Bank One Ballpark during the season allowing fans to see first hand why these players are the best in the game. From Mark McGuire's towering shot out of the stadium to Sammy Sosa's first career grand slam, these players provided excitement to eager fans. During inter-league play, the Arizona fans were able to see such superstars as Ken Griffey Jr. the home run champion and Juan Gonzalez the RBI champion of the American League. Although the Diamondbacks did not play the New York Yankees, there were several players and coaches previously associated with this team which set an American League record with 114 victories led by pitcher David Wells who threw a perfect game early in the season. Kerry Wood, the Chicago Cubs rookie sensation, came to Bank One Ballpark and struck out thirteen Diamondbacks hitters. This brought his two game total to 33 after fanning 20 in his previous start against the Houston Astros and set a Major League record. Watching Cal Ripken Jr. remove himself from the starting line up in Baltimore ending his consecutive games streak at 2,632 games brought a tear to my eye. His dedication to the game may never be matched.

These accomplishments accompanied by the many others brought baseball back to the forefront of the American public's consciousness. Each game brought new experiences. There is nothing better than being at a ball game and enjoying first-hand the accomplishments of the players and teams.