Tigers On Top

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of wishful thinking. But you know what wasn’t wishful thinking? That Grand Surprise my friends the Kids planned! It was the Tigers game!!! July 4th, to be exact, fireworks night and another nice performance from Kenny which got the Tygs started on their first half ending five game winning streak.

Tuesday, I arrived in Ann Arbor around 9:00 in the morning, and just a few hours later, my friend Nichole was on the verge of spilling the beans. “What time is the game tomorrow night?” she asked. I consulted my Tigers watch and said it began at 7:05. “You going?” I asked hopefully.

“Of course!” she replied as my buddy Michael glared daggers at her. “I mean … no …” Michael then proceeded to lie his face off, and I, being the most gullible person on earth, believed him completely when he said the surprise didn’t start until 8:45 the next night, and that Nichole’s car was still in the U. P. (That’s the Upper Peninsula, for you non-Michiganders.) It was, in fact, just down the street in the garage.

The Kids–Michael, Nichole, and Katie–kept me in almost unbearable suspense until we stopped for gas before getting on 94. Finally they let me in on the secret, and I could barely sit still the whole way to Detroit. I mean, the Kids don’t even really like baseball! And here they were taking me to a game! Michael had a friend of a friend in the box office, so we even got free tickets. We had great seats along the third baseline and cheered our way through the whole lovely 6-4 win, then oohed and aahhed through the fireworks. Pretty perfect night. And then the series win against the Indians, and the sweep of the Red Sox … really, could things have been any better?

Considering the trials and tribulations the Tigers have dealt with in the first half, I’d say a one-game lead at the break is pretty impressive. As we get more and more of our guys back, I’m hoping they’ll open up a more comfy lead. And it looks like we may get rid of Neifi soon! Twenty-five games to start, and (cross your fingers) perhaps Raburn will tear it up, thus making Neifi expendable. That would make me ever so gleeful.

I apologize for being absent for a week, but I needed it more than I can say. Going back to Ann Arbor was, to say the least, mightily replenishing. Saw the Boys (Tigers), the Kids (my best friends), and my boys (the gymnasts), and just let my favorite place in the world get familiar again. I should be fairly regular for the rest of the season, especially since the Tygs are gonna make another thrilling pennant run culminating, this time, with a World Championship!!!

P. S. Going to the All-Star game tomorrow! Full reports to follow, and of course they shall be verrrrry Tigers-centric.