Texas Rangers reliever Wes Littleton (then 0-1 with a 4.28 ERA in 18 appearances) awoke to a day like any other. He got to the ballpark two hours early for the first game of a doubleheader against the Orioles at Camden Yards. He warmed up with some long toss, exchanged jokes with Jarrod Saltalajdbvhbjkbksbkhbvbkbvkhdhougmacchia, ate some tropical flavor Skittles in the clubhouse and got ready to take his seat in the outfield bullpen.
After the Rangers scored five times in the fourth inning to take a 5-3 lead Littleton grew anxious as it looked like he might perhaps pitch two-thirds of an inning in the sixth and add an all-important hold to his resume. But then it happened. Littleton, who hadn't pitched since the 16th against Kansas City, was suddenly thrust into the closer role.
You see, the Rangers had managed to squeak out a 14-3 lead after a nine-run sixth. There he stood with his warm-up jacket swaying majestically in the breeze. Fellow relievers Joaquin Benoit and C.J. Wilson glanced at him as he rose from the bench as children would stare at a tree bloated with presents on Christmas morning.
The game was his to save.
Women fainted in the aisles, men felt their penises decrease in size when faced with such unbridled heroism and servicemen and women stood and saluted with tears streaming their faces. For this was what they signed up to protect.
As if possessed by an otherworldly force, Littleton sat down the Orioles in order in the 7th inning. No one talked to him in the dugout. There was too much to lose by jinxing him now.
The Rangers helped him out with 10 runs in the 8th, making the score a slightly more comfortable 24-3. The fans could feel it now.
The first batter in the bottom of the 8th, Tike Redman, laced a single to centerfield and the defense visibly tensed, the ballpark fell silent and Littleton was left alone to deal with this impossibly gut-wrenching scenario. He was on an island. There was no one warming up in the bullpen. Manager Ron Washington gave him the ball and it was his to win or no one's.
Freddie Bynum grounded out, Redman thrown out at second. Miguel Tejada momentarily stopped the hearts of all in attendance with a deep drive to center...caught!!! It was his day. It had to be.
Kevin Millar singled to right. There were two on now. It is rumored that former Ranger Mark Teixeira called the front office at this time, sobbing, and begged to come back. There is nothing in Atlanta for him to compare to this. Despite threatening suicide they declined, saying that the trade is partially what made this a reality.
Melvin Mora walked. Bases loaded. There wasn't a dry seat in the house.
Standing in the way of history was the always dangerous J.R. House. They say he once hit a ball so hard in AAA that it went completely over the second baseman's head. The story was not lost on Littleton. He stepped off the mound, crouched down, kissed the cross that hung around his neck and breathed deeply before striding intimidatingly towards the rubber.
Historic lore or no historic lore, Littleton induced a fielder's choice out from House. As he walked off the field, House nodded in Littleton's direction as if to say, "Surely I am not that."
Six more Texas runs in the top of the 9th made the game 30-3. Chances were good that he would finish out the game with the lead still intact.
Ramon Hernandez swung at strike three like a retarded minnow to start the ninth. Jay Payton grounded out to set up the ultimate duel with Brian Roberts.
Women's panties blanketed the areas between the dugouts and the baselines. People cried as they tore up pictures of Cal Ripken, Jr. and Brooks Robinson. Their day as Baltimore baseball heroes had passed and the Littleton era had arrived.
When Roberts grounded out to end the game Littleton was immediately voted into the Hall of Fame with 100 percent of the vote, the first person ever to do that. Later on Baseball Tonight Tim Kurkjian spent 26 and a half minutes listing his accomplishments before finally exhaling deliberately and pronouncing that Littleton "once took down a bull elephant with a Chile Picante Corn Nut."
The box score reads "S-Littleton (1)". But those who witnessed it along with those who are reading about it now will remember it as much more.
The new permanent Sports Illustrated cover
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