On July 9, 2005, Adam Greenberg of the Chicago Cubs came to the plate for the first time as a Major League Baseball player. It was an undoubtedly a life long dream being accomplished for the young outfielder and it came to a sudden end. A campaign has been underway this year to get Greenberg one official at-bat in the big leagues. On Tuesday October 2, he will get that at-bat as a member of the Miami Marlins.
Valerio de los Santos who at the time was pitching for the Florida Marlins hit Greenberg in the back of the helmet with a pitch. Greenberg fell to the ground and has never made it back to the big leagues since. It’s a story that has been told many times and a video which has been watched by millions of people around the world. It has taken on a life of it’s own extending out of just the baseball world and into the general population. The campaign is being run over at OneAtBat.com and has been gaining steam as the days passed. Greenberg who has played in the minor leagues as well as independent leagues only wants one Major League at-bat. He is not looking for charity but just an a proper conclusion to his dream.
Many interested people felt the Cubs should be the team to give Greenberg the at-bat but for whatever reason, that hasn’t happened. With the days of another season dwindling down, it began to look like Greenberg’s dream conclusion would have to be delayed again. That’s when Jeffrey Loria, David Samson and the Marlins stepped up and did the right thing. For all the bad press the Marlins’ front office has gotten over the years, they have a knack for doing the right thing when the time comes. From being the first team to visit troops overseas on an annual basis, and having their team President run a 50 mile marathon for charity — this just adds to an impressive list of good gestures the Marlins have been involved in.
The Marlins worked out an agreement with Commissioner Bud Selig to sign Greenberg to a one-day contract for Tuesday’s game. It’s a game that looked like it’d mean absolutely nothing. Now, it means the world to Greenberg and all of his supporters.
About Larry Walansky
