was created especially for

Michael Jeremy Smith
at the age of 7


From
Joe
2001

 Mike Smith had a list of chores a mile long. However, it didn't matter because the Marlins were playing in the final game of the World Series. The series was tied three games each, and he decided that his chores could wait a few hours. Mike grabbed the remote control, a bowl of chips, and a Gatorade and made himself comfortable in his favorite chair.

 Mike noticed that the players had been out on the field for an awfully long warm up, and the pitching coach was going crazy about something down in the dugout. Then, the announcer broadcast the news that the pitcher of the Marlins had just thrown out his arm. The cameras followed the coach as he paced frantically inside the dugout. At one end of the dugout was a red wall phone. The coach reached for it and started dialing. The cameras zoomed in. The announcer correctly guessed that the coach was calling in his back-up pitcher. That's when Mike's phone started to ring!

 Mike answered the phone. "This is the coach! Come over here right away. You're going to pitch the game today," said the coach of the Marlins. The coach hung up before Mike could ask any questions. "Wow!" Mike thought. "This must be a dream!" Mike packed his gear and spikes and headed for the door. He thought, "Wait until I tell Larry, Jim and Billy about this!" Mike stopped on his way to the car to pitch a few balls at the bulls-eye painted on the broad side of the barn.

After a few balls had gotten away from him, Mike decided to pack it in and head for the park just a couple of blocks away. It'll come back to me once I'm in the game, so there's no need to warm up now, he thought.
Once Mike had arrived at the stadium, he entered through the back entrance, went into the locker-room, and dressed for the game. When he stepped into the stadium, he could hear the umpire call, "Play Ball!" The crowd cheered. Walking over to Mike, the coach had the look of death about him as he asked "WHO ARE YOU?"

"I'm Mike Smith," said Mike. "You called 934-1599, and I answered your call to the mound." "I can't believe this," said the coach. "This must be the lowest day in baseball. I thought I called our best pitcher on the disabled list who was to be discharged from the hospital this morning. I dialed 934-1595, and who do I get but you! If we don't start the game immediately, we will have to forfeit. Walk quickly now to the mound and start throwing," the coach ordered. "We will just have to win this one on batting."

The announcer checked his notes and reported, "Pitching the final game of the 1995 World Series for the Marlins will be Mike Smith." The announcer's words echoed throughout the stadium and into millions of homes on millions of TV's. Everyone in Atlanta was stunned.
Mike walked to the mound. The crowd was silent. The first inning was beginning. Back in Atlanta, Larry, Jim and Billy picked up the TV Guide and read the notice for today's game. A room full with baseball fans everywhere were grabbing their drinks and chips and thinking about the sure bets they had made on the Marlins.

 While turning on the set and settling into the furniture, Larry, Jim and Billy thought that the name Smith was spoken while the volume was coming on. Then, the picture became clear. Shock filled the room. Mike was on the mound! Popcorn flew everywhere, and one observer in the group pounded his Gatorade can against his forehead. All of the fans knew that their investments were lost, and their bets wiped out. They had been done in by their very own Mike Smith.

The announcer called the plays... "Mike is winding up for another pitch... crack... fly ball to center, number 18 is coming up for the catch... that's one out." The next batter came to bat. "Mike Smith pitches again... crack... this batter grounds to first, and the first baseman makes an easy out." Now Mike was getting confident. The crowd was warming up. Larry, Jim and Billy hadn't moved a muscle or spoken a word since the first pitch. "And now Mike Smith is winding up... the pitch... crack!... high fly to left aaaannnnndddd, yes, the outfielder catches the easy pop fly to retire the side." The crowd actually began to cheer.

 When the Marlins came to bat, they put up a gallant fight. The first batter hit the ball hard to the third baseman. The play was made, and the throw to first was unbelievable. Even the replay showed it was a dead heat, but the umpire called the runner out. The second batter pounded the ball to the wall, but the outfielder caught it as he crashed into the wall for the second out. The third batter struck out. This series was being played in the field, and defense was going to be the deciding factor. Innings two, three, and four went three up and three down for each side. The crowd was getting restless.

 In the top of the fifth, Mike allowed a double and a single. Then a wild pitch sent home the runner on third. One to nothing. Mike was demoralized. Another single put men on first and third with no outs. Then, another wild pitch sent the runners to third and home. Two to nothing. Mike walked the next two batters. The bases were loaded. Mike was getting tired. A slow pitch over the plate allowed the batter to hit a hot smash to second with one bounce. The man on third went home, while the second baseman forced the double play between second and first. Now it was three to nothing with a runner at third with two outs. A wild pitch sent the runner at third to home, but the catcher recovered the ball. He threw it to Mike at the plate and retired the inning when the tag was made. Mike was a mess.

 The coach told Mike to settle down. "Just throw the ball over the plate, and let the fielders do the rest," he said. The next three innings were played quickly, and neither side made any runs. At the top of the ninth, Mike could barely send the ball the distance. Two balls were grounded out to the shortstop. The third batter pounded the ball foul into deep right field, where the right fielder made the catch to retire the side. The score was still three to nothing, and the Marlins would now have their final time at bat. This was it.

The sun was setting, the air was cool, and the fans were getting hot. The lights were now coming on as the final game of the World Series was down to its last inning. The Marlins were down by three runs in the bottom of the ninth. The first batter struck out. The pitcher was throwing hard fast balls. The second batter struck out. The third batter was up... WALK! Their last pitcher was burned out. He was all over the place with his pitches. The crowd went wild. The next batter was up... WALK! Then the next batter... WALK! The bases were loaded! With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, here came Mike Smith to bat!

 The crowd let out a groan! Mike was beginning to feel a little rejected. He took a deep breath and stepped up to the plate.

"STRIKE ONE!!" yelled the umpire. Mike didn't even see that one leave the pitcher's hand. He stepped out of the box looking for a signal from the third base coach; it was to hit away. As the next pitch was released, Mike started his swing. "STRIKE TWO!!" yelled the umpire. Mike was beginning to get a little concerned. O and two was the count, two outs, down by three, and three men on. "This is it," thought Mike, as the next pitch came in low and outside. A deadly silence filled the stadium. Mike swung the bat... CRACK!

 It was gone! That ball left the park with the skin torn half off of it. Mike Smith had pounded out a Grand Slam to win the series for the Marlins in the final inning.

As the team accepted victory, Gatorade was being poured. Mike got out of his uniform, went out the back way, and hurried home in time to watch the post-game show on TV. Mike never returned to baseball and years later most everyone had forgotten his name. It's a pity. He didn't even have a contract.

 This book is the last remaining evidence that Mike was truly a hero that day back in 1995. If you ask people who Mike Smith is, they will tell you they have never heard of him. This is more sad proof that he has become "Baseball's Unsung Hero!"