Imagine waiting for Christmas morning, but the day never coming. Year after year you hope for just one present, but Santa does not deliver.
That's what it has been like for Philadelphia sports fans.
Until this past October, the Philadelphia Phillies had not won a World Series in 28 years. The city had not experienced a major sports title in 25 years.
I'll never forget October 29th, 2008. It was one of the best days of my life.
But before we get to that, my story actually begins on October 26th. I remember waking up that Monday thinking, Holy Cow, the Phillies had a shot to be crowned World Champions that night. I couldn't think of much else at work. The anticipation was too much.By the time the game started I could hardly control my emotions. I was stoked.
After jumping out to an early 2-0 lead on a Shane Victorino hit and the game continued on, I began to wonder if there would be a rain delay and how long I might have to wait to celebrate. At that point, little did I know I would have to wait more than 50 hours.
As the rain continued to come down I had mixed emotions. It was not baseball weather and really not playable. But at the same time, I just wanted it to be the ninth inning already.
After Tampa Bay tied the game and it went into a rain delay, the nail biting began and the patience was wearing thin. Eventually the game was suspended.
The next couple of days at work were brutal and I was useless. All I could think about was the Phillies and wondering if they would play that night.
Wednesday came and it looked like there might be a chance. As game time crept closer and closer I had a huge knot in my stomach. No longer was the game a marathon but a three inning sprint.
Two days of playing every single possibility in my mind had finally come to an end.
To no surprise, Geoff Jenkins was called in to pitch hit. To much surprise, the Rays did not bring in David Price to pitch.
Jenkins led off the seventh with a double as I jumped out of my seat. He later scored, giving the Phillies a lead.
Of coarse, things could not be easy as Ryan Madson gave up a home run in the top of the seventh to even the game.
I was worried, nervous, and expecting the worse. They had a lead and gave it up. Things never went right for the Phillies.
I was stunned when Pat Burrell crushed a double in the bottom of the seventh and the Phillies took the lead on a base hit up the middle by Pedro Feliz.
Of coarse, I still expected the Rays to tie up the game and take the lead.
But it didn't happen.
The ninth was not easy as closer Brad Lidge allowed a runner to get to second.
With the Phillies one strike away from a title, I could barely talk. See, I was three months old the last time they won the World Series. All I have known as a Phillies fan is suffering through one terrible year after another. And the years they came close ended in horrible heartbreak. In 1993 Joe Carter hit a walk off homer to win it all for the Blue Jays. In 2007 the Phillies were swept by the Colorado Rockies in the first round.
As Lidge prepared to throw what would be the final pitch, all I could muster was telling him to throw a slider.
I did not have trouble letting the emotions out after that though. As Eric Hinskie swung and miss, I leaped into the air, pumping my fist, screaming at the top of my lungs.
A lifetime of waiting was over. Santa had delivered the present.
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