For Bryan LaHair, All-Star Game is a ‘dream come true’ – MLB News
The first ever All-Star Game appearance for Bryan LaHair of the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, July 10, was no less than ‘a dream come true’. Having spent his nine years in the Minor Leagues to be prompted to the Major Leagues, the ultimate success to make it to the All-Star Game in the very first year of his MLB career was simply marvellous.
LaHair had the opportunity to have an at-bat in the ninth inning. Facing an otherwise accomplished closer Fernando Rodney, LaHair did manage at the end to bounce it to short.
But above all, it was the very experience of playing the All-Star Game, something that remains a dream for the followers and players of this game, that held incredible joy.
For LaHair, especially, every moment of this event – from the time of announcement that he has made it to the All-Star Game, has been fascinating.
"It's just a dream come true for me," LaHair said of the All-Star appearance. "I can't say that enough. It was a real sincere moment for me personally. The emotions flew for me, when they announced my name and I looked up and I see my brother and my wife up there watching. There was a lot of electricity in that crowd, and you could really feel it. It was really incredible."
As to how he felt about the Tampa Bay closer’s fastball, LaHair – who bounced it to short, had his answer.
"Yeah, I tried to ambush a fastball and it didn't work," LaHair said with a smile. "Unfortunately, he put the ball in the right spot."
The National League did extraordinarily well in Tuesday’s game to win it 8-0, a record that will probably take years to be broken. Of the 83 year history of the All-Star Game, this was the first game to be won by such a big margin.
All said, the most important of it all was the first ever experience of the respective players to play this highly anticipated All-Star Game,and perform well. LaHair did his bid and he certainly hopes to be part of such games in the future as well.
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