More memorable moments

My article last week about my favorite games got me going. I couldn’t stop where I left off because I omitted too many other memorable games, such as my five favorite baseball games.
So, without further ado, here we go:
Top five baseball games
1. Two of my top five games took place on back-to-back weeks in 2007. The best was the amazing comeback Hiland had in the District championship game against Fort Frye and Ohio State-bound shortstop Tyler Engle. The Hawks trailed 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, but scored four times without an out to advance. Joel Gause got things going with a double, and Dustin Kaufman reached on a rare error by Engle. Dillon Callahan walked and Steve Miller followed with a fly ball to center that was dropped! Engle came on to pitch and uncorked a wild pitch that scored another run. Kenny Miller was intentionally walked to re-load the bases, but another wild pitch scored a run. Lincoln Troyer walked and Steve Miller scored the winning run on a ground ball to short.
2. The following week, in the Regional semifinal against Reedsville Eastern, Hiland junior Clinton Yoder was masterful, throwing a no-hitter at the Eagles. Yoder struck out five and walked four in a 4-0 win. Homers by Gause and Troyer provided the offense and Yoder did the rest.
3. Year after year, Hiland would get to the Regionals, and year after year, Newark Catholic would spoil the season for the Hawks. But 2008 was different. Powered by Dillon Callahan’s two-run home run, the Hawks finally beat the Green Wave 5-2 and advanced to the State final four, where, unfortunately, they fell in the championship against another buzzsaw, Patrick Henry.
4. Way back when I first started writing for The Bargain Hunter in 1989, I had the pleasure of watching Kevin Yoder launch a game-winning home run at Hiland against Garaway. Hitting a home run in a clutch situation against a rival is always a memorable experience, and one I’ll always remember as a reporter.
5. The one time East and West joined forces and combined a group of Little Leaguers from Berlin and Killbuck, that team went to North Canton and dominated a Memorial Day tournament. Kaufman Mulch sponsored the team, and Noah Schlabach and Charles Hoxworth combined their coaching skills to lead a group of great young ball players. Eleven-year-old Dylan Kaufman won the home run derby that weekend and Brendan Lynch was untouchable, pitching for Kaufman Mulch in the championship game. No one came close to touching this team; North Canton, Tallmadge and other perennial State powerhouses were no match. Amazingly and sadly, several of the stars of that team no longer play baseball.
Top five pro experiences
1. In 1997, I was fortunate enough to obtain media credentials for the World Series. I was being paid to sit and watch (and report on) the fall classic against Florida. While fans paid hundreds of dollars for tickets, I was actually getting paid to witness the World Series. It was unbelievable, and an experience I will never forget. I even got to meet and visit with country music legend Reba McEntire.
2. In an opportunity to witness greatness, I was part of the throng of reporters interviewing Michael Jordan in the Washington Wizards locker room at Gund Arena after they defeated the Cavs during a regular-season game. I never got to ask Jordan a question, but I was one of the many hands holding a recorder in his face, which was as close to the great one as I ever got.
3. While on the field at the new Cleveland Browns Stadium during the 1999 season, I was fortunate enough to run into Mr. Cleveland Brown, Jim Brown. He was cordial and friendly, contrary to all the published reports. Once I picked my jaw up off the turf, I was able to actually speak. I felt special, having spoken with one of the greatest football players of all time.
4. After conducting an interview with former Tribe pitcher Charles Nagy during a press tour stop in Walnut Creek, one of the top hurlers in Major League Baseball in the 1990s offered me the nicest compliment I have ever received as a reporter, commending the interview I conducted as one of the most thorough and well-researched he’d ever had.
5. This one is a toss-up, and I can’t decide which was better, so I’m going with both. The first was again during the ‘97 post season. It was the Divisional Playoff against the Yankees, and Joe Torre abruptly ended the post-game interview after ripping into Cleveland radio talk show blabbermouth Mike Trivisonno. It was classic! Sharing the memory as fifth best was the time my brother was visiting from Wyoming and he accompanied me to a Tribe game against Milwaukee. We were taking the elevator up to the press box and shared the ride up four flights with Bob Uecker, the radio voice of the Brewers. My brother, not much of a sports fan and being from Wyoming, thought Uecker was really Harry Doyle, the Tribe announcer from the movie Major League.