What wouldn't I give to relive my first trip to Omaha and the College World Series in Rosenblatt Stadium!!!
It's the ultimate dream of every college baseball coach to end the season there, as one of the top eight NCAA teams in the country!
Stitched into history
It was the dream of my late husband Jim Brock, who coached at Arizona State University for 23 years...I was very aware of how much he and the teams wanted to win their final game in Omaha, Nebraska.
In fact, the yearly goal always included the word, "Omaha." On to Omaha! Omaha and more in '84! Omaha and Fun in '81!
The hospitality of the locals contributed to this great time in Omaha.
Farmers, salesmen, and executives met the plane and helped get all the people, luggage, and equipment to the hotel.
They hosted the teams for picnics or dinners on their days off.
We were treated like royalty, especially in 1994, when we needed a doctor to come to the hotel after having won the opening game.
Jim had been fighting colon cancer for ten months and wanted so badly to finish out his last year in Omaha, hopefully with a National Championship.
But, a plane was sent the next day from Arizona, and Jim was taken to Mesa's Desert Samaritan Hospital, where he remained in a comatose state for several days.
Shortly after I learned Oklahoma had won the title, Jim sat up in his bed, smiled at me, and said, "Who won the National Title?" I replied, "Oklahoma and Bucky Buckles pitched the game of his life." (This young man had been set to come to Arizona State in January but had a problem with a transfer grade, and Jim had called his friend at Oklahoma, where he would be eligible.) Jim smiled, laid back down, and passed a short time later.
When thinking back on those 23 years, many of those young men cross my mind, and one was Stan Holmes.
During the '81 season, for some reason, I was sitting on the bus while the team was practicing in some distant city.
Stan was the first to board the bus, and when he saw me crocheting a maroon and gold Afghan, he asked, "Are you making that for me, Mrs. Brock?"
I laughed and said, "Since you are a senior, we wouldn't break any rules if I gave it to you. But, here's the deal: If you guys go to a Regional and win, then win the Sectional, and then go to Omaha and win the World Series, I will give it to you. But, also, you have to be named the MVP in Omaha!
ALL OF THAT HAPPENED! On the field that night, he saw me and immediately said, "Where's my blanket?"
The last time I saw Stan Holmes, he was leaving our house with a maroon and gold Afghan under his arm and a big smile on his face.
Unfortunately, he died at a young age...I miss him and am thankful he was a true MVP the whole season!
What keeps me coming back
Omaha still draws me in June, and fortunately, forty years ago I went to the College World Series ticket office in Omaha asking to purchase two good season tickets so that someday Jim and I could go to the World Series as retirees and not worry about winning!
Now, after 40 years, I try to go every year and a former ASU batgirl, Barbara Yard Young, attends with me! Yes, we see two games a day for six days!
My seats have been upgraded over the years and are now located under the overhang for rain and sun protection. And now we see the people of Omaha continue to show great hospitality toward the other fans.
This past year we were very anxious to see where the upgraded seats were located, but were disappointed as the lady in front of me wore a large hat due to having a bad migraine headache. But, after a few innings, she kindly removed it, and all was well.
We came back the next day hoping different people were in the seats, but she and her husband were both standing...hatless...and very apologetic for the previous day's situation.
They had brought food and chairs so we could join them for lunch between games, and later sent me a wonderful book, "The Joy of Keeping Score!" Again, the fans at the CWS are the BEST!!!
The love of the game
Having been a season ticket holder for 40 years, one sees lots of change.
Leaving Rosenblatt was painful...but the new stadium allows more fans to be there.
The history and nostalgia of all the spectacular moments that occurred there will never be replicated.
All of us fans understood it was an aging facility, and the event deserved a bigger crowd, more parking, and upgrades.
As long as Zesto's came along, we felt it would be the same experience!!!
Surely Omaha is proud of Charles Schwab Field, but especially the 25,000 college baseball fans are SO glad to be there...many proud parents of the players as well as the locals!
Barb and I are greatly looking forward to the 2024 College World Series and creating more memories with the fine people of Omaha and the families of the coaches and ballplayers who come in large numbers to cheer on their teams.
Over the years my late husband gave me many gifts....but the best was my love of the Game of Baseball.
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