The Molly Chronicles - Can a Dog Play Major League Baseball???

                                                              Picture of Shadow

           Watching Shadow was an amazing experience - what baseball should be about. With Shadow at bat, you never knew what to expect - a sizzling shot to right field, a ball blasted clear up into the bleachers. But his strength was always on defense.  In a blur of paws and dog hair, he'd zoom around the field making catch after incredible   catch, play after seemingly impossible play. 

            The climax of Shadow's career came in the seventh game of the World Series. It was the bottom of the ninth, the score tied three to three, one out, and Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals on third base, threatening to score.

               

"Batting for the Cardinals, Yadier Molina."

           

            There was bad blood between Yadier and me.  Once he had stepped on my tail almost  preventing me from running to first base, and I believe he did it on purpose. A tail is a very delicate part of a dog's anatomy.

            Anyway, as he came up to bat, I felt  the anger boiling in my blood. He just  had a bad smell about him.

            Yadier shot a wicked line drive aimed  between first and second base. The whole stadium was on their feet  screaming. Yadier let out a whoop loud enough to be heard in Texas, threw the bat in ecstasy, and ran for first base, with the smuggest look you've ever seen on a human.

            And seemingly out of nowhere, Shadow was there. He lunged at the ball, still in the air,  and caught it just before it passed by second base. He snapped around for the throw to home plate for the final out, but there was no one to throw to. Our catcher was down. Dan Butler was lying in a daze just behind home plate. In spite of the padding, Yadier Molina's bat had struck him in the back of the head, knocking him out cold.  Meanwhile Matt Holliday had tagged third base, and was now barreling toward home plate.

"Holliday's tagged the base. Holliday has gone back and tagged the base; he can score."

  "And that's the game right there folks.  Holliday will score. The Cardinals will  win it all, the inning, the game and World Series,  four games  to three. A shame folks. You hate to see a game won by because of an injury. But wait. It's not over yet. Here's Shadow running for home plate."