Even Death Can't Beat Kirby Puckett

Here he comes. With two out in the first, Kirby Puckett makes his way to the dish and this opening day crowd weighs in with a standing ovation. This will be Puckett's first at-bat in his new league and fans and manager Bill Rigney are looking forward to his contribution to this Minnesota team.

Kirby takes a fast ball from Johnson, low and away.

One wonders the feeling Puckett has to be facing Hall-of-Famer Walter Johnson for the first time. The Big Train has got to be intimidating to any modern-era ball player, even one with Puckett's numbers. Johnson's a fast worker and here comes the next pitch. Kirby swings late and misses, one and one.

Johnson has those long arms and an easy motion that suggests the ball won't arrive with the speed that it does. Puckett is trying to get his timing down but it's easy to see his frustration. Barney goes into his wind-up. Here's the pitch.

Puckett sends a frozen rope over Harris' head. It one-hops the wall between Rice and Goslin in right-center. The Goose catches up with the pellet as Kirby rounds second. He beats the frantic throw by Goslin with a head-first slide into third.

The old Met Stadium crowd goes wild. Kirby wipes off his uni sporting a HUGE ear-to-ear smile. From the stands just behind third base, Ted Williams is spotted standing and tipping his cap to the leagues newest star, Kirby Puckett.....

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