Junto Boys

MACK JACKED - AND WE WERE THERE

A year ago at PNC Park, Dude and I caught 3 games, Pirates hosting the Cubs. Rob Mackowiak's wife had delivered their first child earlier that day. The light-hitting superutilityman jacked a walk-off grand slam in the first game of Friday night's doubleheader, jacked a 9th-inning, game tying 2-run homer in the second game, followed by Craig Wilson's leadoff game-winner in bottom 10, and mashed a go-ahead homer on Saturday for 11 RBIs and three wins on the weekend. The crowd was chanting "Have more babies! Have more babies!" Mackowiak's performance was voted the Pirates' highlight of the 2004 season. (And there weren't many. The Cubs won just about every other game in their head-to-head series and I lost my annual wager, or should I say annuity, to my buddy James in Chicago.)

And we were there. As the fan of a team that hasn't even sniffed at postseason play since Bonds left in 1993, that is heading for its 13th consecutive losing season, and that is best-known for its garish yellow polyester uniforms and pillbox caps, it was a magical couple of days that made you feel lucky to be there. Baseball is funny that way.