There are some acts of kindness that just simply cannot be put into proper words.
I’m going to give it my best shot anyway.
A couple of weeks ago, when my beloved Atlanta Braves clinched their first National League Pennant in 22 years, I had a novel idea.
“Let’s ride over to Atlanta the Saturday night they’ll be hosting the World Series and hang out in The Battery,” I pitched to my bride, Callie.
The Battery is a giant real estate development that is located outside the centerfield wall at the Braves’ new stadium in Cobb County.
Getting into the stadium for the fall classic never entered my mind.
Callie was understandably skeptical of the proposed venture.
A couple of days later, my brother-in-law, who lives in Birmingham, informed us that they would be hosting a birthday party for our twin niece (Ruth Ellen) and nephew (Lane) on that very Saturday.
“Now we have to go,” I half joked.
Callie and I both have brothers who live in Birmingham, and my kid brother Alex is as big of a Braves fan as I am.
When I pitched the idea of going to The Battery to Alex, he was immediately sold.
We made plans to attend the birthday party and then hop in the truck with Alex and his fiancée, Lorie, and set out for The Battery. Alex and Lorie will exchange vows atop Mount Cheaha outside of Birmingham tomorrow afternoon.
This is where the story shifts gears. Dramatically.
Two dear Indianola friends, Jason and Lee Whittington, are also huge Braves fans.
We have enjoyed many evenings watching Braves baseball over the past few years.
Back in 2019, we all attended a game together at Truist Park.
Lee’s Aunt Peggy and Uncle Mike live in the Atlanta area and are season ticket holders, and they were gracious enough back then to seat us behind the third base dugout to watch the Braves defeat the Milwaukee Brewers in a last at-bat victory.
When Lee informed Peggy and Mike last Friday night that we were planning to go hang out at The Battery on Saturday, their response was unbelievable.
They had two extra tickets, and they invited us to come and enjoy Game 4 of the World Series with them, less than 30 rows behind home plate.
Bryan and Callie with new great friends Peggy and Mike Vance during the final inning of Game 4 of the World Series.
We drove over with Alex and Lorie, as planned, but we parted ways with them at the main gate and slowly made our way through thousands of fans, where all the magic of the night awaited us.
It was there actually that we met Peggy and Mike in-person for the first time, and they are two of the most delightful people and Braves fans you’d ever want to meet.
It was not my first Braves game by any stretch, but this was definitely the greatest experience I’ve ever had at a ballpark.
My first Braves game was June 27, 1998, and I witnessed Greg Maddux strike out 13 Toronto Blue Jays in a 1 hour and 46-minute complete game shutout.
I saw Hall of Famer Chipper Jones hit homeruns from both sides of the plate twice, once against the Reds in 1999 and the second time against the Tigers in 2010.
Callie and I were at the final game at Turner Field in 2016, and we were at the first game at Truist (then SunTrust) Park in 2017.
Callie and I, along with Ellie, Sarah and Judd Williams, drove over to Atlanta three years ago in October to watch the Braves play the Dodgers in the National League Division Series.
That was the game where then rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. hit the famous grand slam that won the Braves their only game of that series.
Then we got in the car and drove all night back to Indianola to go to work the next day.
I like to joke that I’ve been to the new park seven times, and the Braves are 7-0 when I’m there.
I wasn’t present for Sunday’s loss. I’m just sayin’.
We’ve seen a lot of innings at Turner Field and the new park, and we’ve shared some special memories at both, but none were as special and as humbling as last Saturday night.
Down 2-0 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Braves finally crossed the plate to make it 2-1.
The following inning, slugger shortstop Dansby Swanson drove a pitch over the right field wall to tie the game. Minutes later, pinch-hitter Jorge Soler pulled a pitch over the left field wall to give the Braves a 3-2 lead, which the bullpen made stick.
The crowd was electric. We were into every pitch.
The sluggers did their part, but I arguably attributed the victory to stellar managing on the part of Braves skipper Brian Snitker.
He played chess with Houston manager Dusty Baker all night, and he simply managed a better game.
Lorie Jenkins (soon-to-be Davis), Alex Davis, Bryan Davis and Callie Davis hanging out in The Battery before last Saturday night’s World Series Game 4.
Three nights later, my Braves clinched their first World Series title since 1995 behind a stellar pitching performance by Max Fried and three big home runs by Jorge Soler, Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman.
Callie and I are grateful that we got to take part in the 2021 World Series.
There were millions of fans who were dying to get inside those walls last Saturday night, but for some reason, we were picked to be there.
We are so thankful for our Indianola friends and for the completely unbelievable act of kindness shown by their extended family, who had never met these kooks from Mississippi before last Saturday night.
We can’t wait to see the Braves defend their title in 2022.
Until then, #ChopOn!
