Okay, let’s talk about that whole Aaron Judge home run chase back in ’22. What a ride, huh?
Honestly, at the start of the season, I wasn’t paying super close attention. Baseball’s a long season, you know? Lots of games. I’d catch the scores, maybe watch a highlight here and there, but wasn’t tracking Judge specifically day in and day out.
Getting Hooked
But then, things started heating up. He hit 40, then 50… and suddenly, the talk was everywhere. Was he gonna break the record? Roger Maris, 61. That number just hung out there. It felt like every sports channel, every website, that’s all they talked about. It kinda sucked you in, even if you tried to resist.
I found myself checking the box scores more often. If the Yankees were playing, I’d try to have the game on, even just in the background while I was tinkering in the garage or messing with my old radio project. It became a little ritual, especially as he got closer.
The Daily Grind
Man, it got tense. Especially when he was stuck on 60, then 61, for what felt like forever. Every single time he walked up to the plate, you felt it. The crowd, the announcers… everything just stopped for a second. Is this the one? Swing and a miss. Pop fly. A walk! Ugh, the walks were the worst. Felt like the pitchers were just scared, which, okay, maybe they were.
- Checked phone for updates constantly.
- Put games on multiple screens sometimes.
- Talked about it with buddies, everyone had an opinion.
It’s funny, that pressure, it reminded me a bit of this one time years ago. Totally different thing, but stick with me. I was working this awful temp job after getting laid off, really needed the cash. My supervisor was this hawk, watching every move. I had this one task, putting together these stupid marketing packets, had to be perfect, and there was a deadline that felt impossible. Everyone else was done and just watching me. Every staple, every fold, felt like it was under a microscope. That same kinda feeling, you know? Where every little action feels huge because everyone’s watching and waiting. Obviously, Judge hitting a homer is a tad bigger deal than my packet-stuffing, but that feeling? That pit in your stomach? Kinda similar.
Finally Making History
Anyway, back to Judge. That stretch where he was trying to get from 61 to 62 was rough. Felt like baseball history was on pause. Then finally, bam! He did it. Texas, I think it was. I wasn’t watching it live, actually missed it by like an hour, but saw the replay immediately. Just a laser beam into the stands.
What a moment. Even though I’m not a die-hard Yankees fan or anything, you gotta respect it. Seeing someone chase down a record like that, day after day, with that kind of pressure? Pretty cool. It was exhausting just watching, can’t imagine actually doing it.
So yeah, that was my experience with the Aaron Judge race. Started casual, got way too invested, felt the tension, saw the payoff. Good times, good baseball memory right there.
