As baseball fans, all of us have experienced moments that are carved into our memories. No matter how hard we try, or how much time goes by, we will never forget these memories.

Sometimes, remembering these past events may not be a good thing. I can remember like it was yesterday the last time my favorite team (in Venezuela) was eliminated in a one day playoff game to go to the finals. I also can remember losing one of the most important games I have ever played in my life (as a pitcher).

But what about the good memories. The ones that very time we play through our head, they put a big smile on our face, and give us goosebumps. That’s the kind of memories I want to talk about now.

Here’s a list of MY baseball memories:

– The first baseball memory that is carved in my memory was Kirk Gibson’s homer in the 1988 World Series against Dennis Eckersley. That image of him pumping his fist while rounding the bases is epic.

– Wilson Alvarez’s no hitter on August 11, 1991. Some of you are probably asking yourselves who is this Alvarez?, but as a Venezuelan, this no hitter has something special. Alvarez was the first Venezuelan to throw a no hitter in the Majors, and the best part of it, at least for me, is that he played with the White Sox. Ozzie Guillen’s team, and as I’ve said before, he was my hero when growing up.

– Kirby Puckett’s leaping catch in the sixth game of the 1991 World Series, and his homer in the bottom of the eleventh. That is without a doubt one of the greatest World Series I have ever seen.

– From the same World Series, the ten inning shutout Jack Morris threw to win the seventh game of 1991 fall classic.

– Joe Carter’s walk off homer to end the 1993 World Series. He almost missed first base, and Mitch Williams face was priceless. “Touch ‘em all Joe…” the commentator said after he had passed first base.

– September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. became the “Iron Man” after playing in his 2,131 consecutive game. Who could forget him running around the field shaking hands with pretty much everybody. I still remember what the Spanish commentators were saying while he was running the field.

– Edgar Renteria’s hit to end the 1997 World Series and give the Marlins their first World Series in their short history. I remember I fell sleep and as an act of magic woke up and turned the TV on just when Renteria was hitting.

– September 8, 1998. Mark McGwire hits his 62nd home run of the season. I remember it was a low pitch that cleared the left field fence. I was in Florida by that time, and I remember buying the next day, a laminated page of one newspaper with McGwire’s picture on it. I still have it in my room.

– The 2001 World Series, as a whole. I lived every moment like if I was sitting in the dogout, I remember Byung-Hyun Kim’s blown saves, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling pitching in the same game and Luis Gonzalez’s hit to end it all. Epic World Series.

– Watching Francisco Rodriguez pitch in the 2002 post season, and in the World Series. He became the youngest pitcher to ever win a World Series game. He was just 20 years old.

– Aaron Boone’s homer against Tim Wakefield in the seventh game of the 2003 ALCS. That homer made everybody believe the Babe Ruth’s curse was real and it was still working against them.

– Miguel Cabrera and Alex Gonzalez’s home runs in the fourth game of the 2003 World Series with the Marlins. I’m Venezuelan, do I have to say more?. Cabrera hit the home run against Roger Clemens in the first inning, and Gonzalez hit his in the bottom of the 12th against Jeff Weaver, it was a walk off homer.

– From the same game, Clemen’s strike out against Luis Castillo. It was believed that was going to be the last hitter Clemens was going to face as a Major League player.

– The Chicago White Sox winning the 2005 World Series by Ozzie Guillen’s hand. That moment was big for me, but it was even bigger when he came with the trophy to Venezuela and showed it in the stadium where he used to play. He also managed that game for his former team.

That’s pretty much all the baseball memories I have carved in my memory, now it’s time for you to tell us your basball memories.

Image by Keith Allison under the Creative Commons License.