Braden perfecto:  Up close and personal

I’ve just returned home from the Oakland Coliseum, having witnessed live Dallas Braden’s perfect game victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

In all the hundreds and hundreds of games I’ve watched live over the decades, major league, minor league, and college, I’ve only watched one no-hitter before: Ed Halicki’s, with the Giants at Candlestick Park in 1975. So this was very, very special.

But here’s what made it even more special: sitting in the seats and row directly in front of my wife and me were none other than Dallas Braden’s grandmother and girlfriend. Being able to enjoy the game’s mounting tension and excitement with them, and of course the explosive joy when the final out was recorded, was a spectacular thrill. When we watched his grandma go down onto the field after the game, and engage in that long and intensely close hug with Dallas, I assure you that neither my wife’s eyes nor mine were dry.

What a magnificent Mother’s Day.


Steve Treder has been a co-author of every Hardball Times Annual publication since its inception in 2004. His work has also been featured in Nine, The National Pastime, and other publications. He has frequently been a presenter at baseball forums such as the SABR National Convention, the Nine Spring Training Conference, and the Cooperstown Symposium. When Steve grows up, he hopes to play center field for the San Francisco Giants.
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Dave Studeman
13 years ago

That is fantastic, Steve. Great story.

3FingerBrown
13 years ago

Perfect day for a guy’s whose life has been far short of perfect in the past. After losing my mother-in-law to cancer, I can imagine what Braden must have felt today. Seeing him hugging his grandmother on TV brought a tear to my eye. I can only imagine what it must have been like to have been there.

Chris
13 years ago

What an awesome feat to be able to have your family witness, way to go Dallas!

Jim C
13 years ago

What a great thing to experience in person. Several years ago I witnessed perhaps the sloppiest no-hitter ever thrown, by the U. of Maryland against Virginia. Numerous walks, errors, and hit batsmen. Maryland barely hung on for the win 7-5.

DonCoburleone
13 years ago

That is awesome, great story Steve. Heres a little perspective on Perfect Games: 

Only 19 (now) have ever been thrown in the history of the game. First perfect game was in 1904, then from 1908 until 1981, only 4 were thrown. The longest stretch being 34+ years from 1922 to 1956, (which means Don Larsen’s Perfect Game in the World Series was the first one in 34 years!) It also means this could potentially not happen again until 2044, so enjoy it…

Gerry
13 years ago

There were a couple of perfect games in the 19th century.

Steve Treder
13 years ago

This was pretty cool:  I just got interviewed by Rod Brooks on KNBR about this story.

Jim C
13 years ago

That is way cool. I hope you recorded it for posterity.

Steve Treder
13 years ago

That would require far more foresight than I’m capable of exercising.  They just called me up and said, “You want to go on the air?”  I said, “Uh …,” and they said, “Okay, two minutes, and you’re on!”

Jim C
13 years ago

Call them back. they can probably put it on a CD for you, or some other format.

Andrew Viloria
13 years ago

Heard you on KNBR today, Steve. What a great story, one I’m sure you’ll treasure forever!!