## A Diamond Legacy: Remembering a Rockies Fan Who Lived and Breathed Baseball
Baseball fans are a unique breed. They bleed their team colors, have a favorite player (or five), and can recite stats like poetry. But for some, fandom goes beyond games and runs deeper than the thrill of victory.
The Denver Post recently published a poignant piece, “Goodbye Mom, you were my favorite sports fan,” that captures this very essence. Through the eyes of a son, we witness the extraordinary bond between a mother and her Rockies, a love story told through the language of home runs, stolen bases, and the enduring spirit of the game.
RyMac and Helton: Celebrating Mom’s Favorite Players and the Stories Behind Their Connection
Somewhere up there, my mom is smiling. Ryan McMahon hit a home run for the Rockies in their 4-3 win over the Giants on Thursday night. McMahon broke out of a horrendous slump. “RyMac” was my mom’s second-favorite Rockie, right behind Todd Helton. Why? Partly because he’s Irish, mostly because I like RyMac. She was thrilled when Helton invited me to his Knoxville, Tenn., home to witness his Hall of Fame phone call in January 2024. When my wife, Nancy, and I were invited to Helton’s party in Cooperstown last July, my mom felt like she was there.
During her last years, I watched Rockies road games with her when I could. She rarely asked why the team was winning or losing. Strategy was not her thing. She always asked, “Is so and so a good guy?” That’s the kind of sports fan my mom was. She knew nothing about OPS, yards after catch, 3-point percentages, or point spreads. She just liked how players played and hoped they were good people.
From Knoxville to Cooperstown: Joining Mom in the Joy of Rockies’ Triumphs
My mom loved baseball, but she loved the Rockies even more. She didn’t care about championships or statistics; she loved the spirit of the team and the joy they brought to her life. She’d beam whenever the Rockies won, and her disappointment at their losses was palpable.
She wasn’t a baseball expert by any means, she’d cheer for any player who hit a home run or made a spectacular play. I remember her excitement when Todd Helton finally got his due and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. She felt like she was there with me in Cooperstown, celebrating with him and the entire Rockies organization.
Bud Black’s Video Message: A Heartwarming Gesture That Brought Mom Immense Joy
In her later years, she’d tried to stay up late enough to watch manager Bud Black’s postgame news conference, not because she wanted to hear his explanations but to hear me ask a question. “Good questions, son,” she’d say. “I think Buddy likes you. He responds well to you.” I’d roll my eyes and say, ‘Yes, Buddy likes me, but he doesn’t respond to me differently than anybody else.”
She once told me Black didn’t talk enough about the Rockies’ hitters, saying he was too focused on pitchers. So, I asked Black to send her a video message last Mother’s Day. “Anita, happy Mother’s Day! How are you?” he said from his office. “I love that you love the Rockies. And you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to start talking more about hitting and less about pitching, just for you.” She loved that.
More Than Just Baseball
The Nuggets and Jamal Murray: Mom’s Love for Basketball Extended Beyond the Rockies
My mom’s love for sports wasn’t confined to baseball. She also enjoyed basketball, particularly because her grandson, Cooper, and his younger brother, Jacob, were big Nuggets fans. Point guard Jamal Murray became her favorite player. “Is Jamal a good guy?” she’d ask.
“I don’t know, Mom, I don’t cover the Nuggets very often, so I really don’t know him,” I’d say. “But he doesn’t seem to like the media very much, and I don’t think the Nuggets writers like him very much.” She was disappointed when I told her that. My mom hated cynicism and hated that my job as a sportswriter had soured me a bit over the years.
Dick Connor and the Art of Sportswriting: Mom’s Influence on My Writing and My Admiration for a Colorado Legend
Funny enough, she wondered why I wasn’t a columnist, like the late, great Dick Connor, who was named Colorado Sports Writer of the Year 22 times and is in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Back in the day, the Connors, part of Arvada’s Irish-Catholic clan at St. Anne’s parish, lived just across an open field from the Saunders home. My mom and dad (Dusty) were good friends with Dick and Mary Kay. “You write like Dick Connor,” Mom would say. “You see sports the same way.” I tried to explain that I could never be a columnist today. I’m not confrontational enough and lack the killer instinct a contemporary columnist needs. Plus, I’m not as talented as Mr. Connor. “I don’t think that’s true,” she’d say, though I know it’s all true.
The Enduring Legacy of Mom’s Support: Reflecting on How Mom’s Unwavering Love Shaped My Life and Passion for Sports
As a kid, my mom nursed the battle wounds from my days as a Little League catcher and comforted me when I got cut from the Arvada High School basketball team. She listened to St. Louis Cardinals games on the radio with me, my dad, and my brother Steve until she couldn’t handle the static anymore. So my dad, brother, and I would hop in the station wagon and go to the top of Hackberry Hill, where the reception was better.
Mom and my sister, Katie, used to pick their favorite teams because they liked their “costumes.” I’d roll my eyes and say, “They’re called uniforms!” My mom was not a good statistician. She never understood why a team would “tank” or what an on-base percentage was.
Conclusion
In the moving tribute penned by Patrick Saunders for the Denver Post, we witnessed a powerful exploration of the unbreakable bond between a son and his mother, painted against the backdrop of shared passion for the Colorado Rockies. Saunders eloquently captures the essence of his late mother’s unwavering support, highlighting her infectious enthusiasm and the indelible mark she left on his life both within and outside the stadium. He reminisces about cherished memories, from simple catch sessions in the backyard to the electrifying atmosphere of Coors Field, forever tinged with her presence.
This article transcends a simple obituary, revealing the profound impact a devoted fan can have on her child’s life. It underscores the universality of familial love and the profound role sports play in shaping our identities and forging unbreakable connections. As Saunders carries on his mother’s legacy by sharing his own love for the Rockies, we are reminded that the spirit of fandom lives on, transcending generations and leaving an enduring legacy of passion and shared joy.
The echoes of his mother’s cheers will forever resonate within the heart of Rockies Country, a testament to the enduring power of love, loyalty, and the magic that unfolds when a family unites around a shared passion. As we all navigate life’s journey, let us remember the unwavering support of those who cheer us on from the sidelines, for their love is the wind beneath our wings.