"Magic Number" Follows Colorado Rockies as They Win National League Championship

Even those not interested in baseball, or sports in general, were touched by a story that appeared in the October 14, 2007 Denver Post sports section about a 15-year old teen from a Denver suburb who was introduced to Colorado Rockies Manager Clint Hurdle two years ago during a chance meeting in a grocery store checkout line. The story, written by Mark Kiszla, told of the boy's bravery in the face of his battle with a rare form of cancer (only 100 cases have ever been confirmed worldwide) that finally took his life on August 28, 2007. A link to this story can be found in the Resources section of this article.

Four days before his death, during what would be the last of 20 or more visits between the two friends, Hurdle asked the boy if he had something that would bring the team luck - perhaps a lucky number. The boy gave Clint his "magic number" - the number he had always worn when he played football - number 64. The Rockies manager scribbled the number on the top of his lineup card the following night, and watched in awe as the Rockies came back from a 4 run deficit in the 9^th inning to win the game 6-5. Hurdle gave that first card to the young boy as a souvenir, but he continued to write the number at the top of his lineup cards each night, and the Rockies continued to build what would become a 21-1 record for the 22 games they played between September 15^th and their National League Championship win on October 15^th.

But although the Colorado Rockies manager was thrilled with the play of his young baseball team, that joy was overshadowed by the death of his young friend. If his friendship with the young boy taught him anything, it was that baseball was only a game, and the playoffs were nothing to fear. Did he pass along this philosophy to his players, and did it play any part in their remarkable post-season play?

We may never know. But it seemed only fitting that last night, as the Colorado Rockies won their way to the 2007 World Series, the key play turned out to be a 6^th inning, 4 run home run by Matt Holliday, and the final score was ... what else? ... 6-4.