A PERFECT NINE INNINGS
It was a hot and humid night on May 29, 2010, when a baseball miracle was performed. It was just another day of scheduled baseball fairly early in the season. It was a contest between, the Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Miami Marlins took the field in hopes for a win, in front of 25,000 hopeful fans. Among the hopeful, a boy sits with his father behind the first base line excited for the game to start. The father turned to him and said, “I have a feeling tonight is going to be special.” The game started at Sun Life Stadium during the most ambient time of day, sunset. The stadium lights came on, and the first pitch was thrown. The crowd was a mixed group of fans. It seemed there were half Phillies fans and half Marlins fans in the stands. Among the murmurs of the crowd, you can hear the loud voices of the food and beverage vendors, screaming those great catch phrases that all baseball fans know. Unknowing to the crowd they were about to witness a baseball miracle. The Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay took the field and threw his first pitch. All that was heard was the loud pop of the glove when the ball landed in it from a fastball. The Phillies fans cheered and the Marlin fans booed. It was known by the crowd after the first inning that Halladay had his best “stuff” with him. Batter by Batter, Halladay vanquished the Marlin hitters without giving up a hit. The air all of the sudden got cooler from the sun completely vanishing in the dark sky. In the third inning the Phillies managed to squeak out an unearned run. On this night, that was all that Halladay needed. From that moment on the Marlin fans knew they were in trouble. Halladay and the Philly defense were on fire. The Marlin players looked helpless. There was nothing they could do to extinguish the flame. Inning by inning, Halladay seemed to grow stronger. The murmurs started in the crowd, Halladay had a perfect game going through six innings. At that moment, the vendors stopped screaming and were trying to get a glimpse of what was happening on the field. Everyone in the stadium knew what was brewing. Everyone in the stadium became invested with every ball thrown and every crack of the bat, when contact was made with the ball. Around the eighth inning an interesting situation began to occur. The Marlins fans became Phillies fans. Everyone kept asking each other, “Is this for real.” Everyone wanted to see Halladay complete what only a few players have done. It was finally time for