By Amy McCormick
My husband and I had tickets to the Phils’ second game this season. While Opening Day would have been nice, I was really excited to see the return of Cliff Lee. As the day grew closer, I got more and more excited to welcome Cliff home.
We got settled in our seats in section 130 and seats filled earlier than usual. Everyone wanted to be in his/her seat to see the first pitch. When Cliff came out of the bullpen, it was pure mayhem. We were all on our feet, we were all screaming, and we were all wishing we could touch his beard. Ok, the last part might have just been me. But CBP was as loud as I’ve ever heard it get. We finally got to see our Christmas gift in action.
Lee showed us that his command was on point from the very beginning. In seven innings, he struck out eleven batters (not a typo). Our offense looked great, because we were facing horrendous pitching, but it made for a really fun game. My husband caught one of Raul Ibanez’s foul balls … and promptly handed it to me. (There were absolutely no children in our section, by the way.) In the end, Phils took the win, 9-4, and it probably replaced September 30, 2009 as my favorite game that I’ve attended. We showed Cliff our love every second we could … including his at bats. Each time he walked to the batter’s box, we all stood up and cheered. It’s safe to say that the man is pretty popular in this city.
It’s funny how it has become part the history that our minds hold onto … where were you when you found out Cliff Lee was coming back? I think that the circumstances surrounding his return (*cough* Yankees *cough*) were just as, if not more, exciting than his coming homecoming.
It’s hard not to love Cliff. He’s a machine on the mound and he loves Philly enough to turn down all other offers. What’s not to like? We fans showed him on Saturday night that we are just as loyal to him as he is to this city. We’re so glad he’s home. It hasn’t been the same without him.
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