pink in the park!

From the moment I walked into the stadium, I knew the night would be different.
Even before I saw all the pink.
Pink jerseys on the Gnats.
Pink jersey on Gnate.
Pink T-shirts and pink jerseys from years past on the patrons...
including myself.

My jersey is from 2011.
How do I know?
Every year, the commemorative shirt has a different design.
Mine was worn - and later autographed by -
a young pitcher.
Why did I specifically bid on his jersey?
Well, three factors came into play.
First, there was his name: Angel Antonio Cuan.
Second, he was also born on May 29th.
Third, he was from Panama, a country I had loved.
That summer of 2011 was after I'd had my first year of teaching full-time, making full-time money. So, I was feeling a bit flush.
Time to spread some wealth around!

Even Gnate T. (The) Gnat was rockin' a "Pink for the Cure" jersey!
Notice how different the jersey is from mine?
Well, maybe not, from this distance.
Here's the thing: besides being a more intense pink throughout, it also features the names of cancer survivors, in different colors and fonts.

The "Sweet Caroline" girls are rocking different jerseys, too.
Lauri, the daughter, has the 2012 version.
Her mom, Lynn, is strutting the pale pink of the 2013 style.
Or should that be the other way around?
(smile)
What about the game?
Let me tell you about the game!
After trailing by one run for nearly the entire game, the Gnats caught fire in the bottom of the eighth!

Here, the run
to tie the game
flew over home plate!

Good one, Tyler Moore!

Then,
lickety split,
we added another run
to take the lead!

Good running, Patrick Biondi!

Two more runs trotted across that plate soon after!
This was either Luis Guillorme or John Mora, as both scored that inning.
I don't recall which one I managed to photograph.
Good work, my boys of summer!

Then the Gnats swarmed the field in victory!
Woohoo!
5-2, our favor!
And those five runs mean pizza for me tomorrow.
What a great bonus!

The next thing you know, people were taking the shirts right off their backs!
Literally.
The winning bidders came onto the field to claim their rewards.
(smile)
And then we all had our Saturday night fiReWoRKs!!!
(smile)
Life is GOOD!!!