Pittsburgh Sports In Review for 2013
Sep 15, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle (left) greets center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) after defeating the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
I asked a few people what their favorite moment in Pittsburgh sports was this year, and this short sampling shows how clear cut it was.
Point Park WBB Head Coach Tony Grenek: “It’s got to be the Pirates beating the Reds in the Wild Card game. It made me feel like a little kid again, loving baseball.”
Duquesne WBB Head Coach Dan Burt: “The Pirates ending their losing streak and finding their way into the playoffs.”
Point Park Sports Information Director Kevin Taylor: “The Pirates beating the Reds in the Wild Card. It was great and exciting to see a playoff game and a win in Pittsburgh.”
For me, it was when the Pirates officially made the playoffs. Starling Marte had just connected for a go-ahead home run and the Chicago Cubs looked poised to tie the game. When Marlon Byrd misplayed a single, I thought that this may be the start of a huge downward spiral.
Having been born in 1992, I’ve been trained to think that way considering the fact that I haven’t seen a winning season. All of a sudden, Andrew McCutchen backs up the play and makes the throw to home plate. It is clear that the throw will fall short. But Justin Morneau cuts off the play and makes the throw to Russell Martin just in time. Martin holding the ball in the air triumphantly while the home plate umpire signals that the runner was out is an image I will never forget.
2013 was great but now it is time to move on to 2014. What will it bring? There’s only one way to find out.