was created especially for

Michael Jeremy Smith

at the age of 7

With love from,

Mom and Dad

2003

Page 3

Mike Smith had a list of chores a mile long. However, it didn't

matter because the Marlins were playing in the final game of the

World Series. The series was tied three games each, and he decided that

his chores could wait a few hours. Mike grabbed the remote control, a

bowl of chips, and a Gatorade and made himself comfortable in his

favorite chair.

Page 4

Mike noticed that the players had been out on the field for an

awfully long warm up, and the pitching coach was going crazy about

something down in the dugout. Then, the announcer broadcast the news that

the pitcher of the Marlins had just thrown out his arm. The cameras

followed the coach as he paced frantically inside the dugout. At

one end of the dugout was a red wall phone. The coach reached for it and

started dialing. The cameras zoomed in. The announcer correctly guessed

that the coach was calling in his back-up pitcher. That's when Mike's

phone started to ring!

Page 7

Mike answered the phone. "This is the coach! Come over here

right away. You're going to pitch the game today," said the coach of

the Marlins. The coach hung up before Mike could ask any questions.

"Wow!" Mike thought. "This must be a dream!" Mike packed his gear and

spikes and headed for the door. He thought, "Wait until I tell Larry,

Jim and Billy about this!" Mike topped on his way to the car to

pitch a few balls at the bulls-eye painted on the broad side of the barn.

Page 8

After a few balls had gotten away from him, Mike decided to pack

it in and head for the park just a couple of blocks away. It'll come

back to me once I'm in the game, so there's no need to warm up now, he

thought. Once Mike had arrived at the stadium, he entered through the back

 entrance, went into the locker-room, and dressed for the game. When he

stepped into the stadium, he could hear the umpire call, "Play Ball!"

The crowd cheered. Walking over to Mike, the coach had the look of death

about him as he asked "WHO ARE YOU?"

Page 11

"I'm Mike Smith," said Mike. "You called 934-1599, and I answered

your call to the mound." "I can't believe this," said the coach. "This

must be the lowest day in baseball. I thought I called our best pitcher on

the disabled list who was to be discharged from the hospital this

morning. I dialed 934-1595, and who do I get but you! If we don't start the

game immediately, we will have to forfeit. Walk quickly now to the mound

and start throwing," the coach ordered. "We will just have to win this one on

batting." The announcer checked his notes and reported, "Pitching the

final game of the 2003 World Series for the Marlins will be Mike Smith.

" The announcer's words echoed throughout the stadium and into millions

of homes on millions of TV's. Everyone in Fort Wayne was stunned.

Page 12

Mike walked to the mound. The crowd was silent. The first inning

was beginning. Back in Fort Wayne, Larry, Jim and Billy picked up the

TV Guide and read the notice for today's game. A room full with baseball

fans everywhere were grabbing their drink sand chips and thinking about

the sure bets they had made on the Marlins.

15

While turning on the set and settling into the furniture, Larry,

Jim and Billy thought that the name Smith was spoken while the volume was

coming on. Then, the picture became clear. Shock filled the room. Mike

was on the mound! Popcorn flew everywhere, and one observer in the

group pounded his Gatorade can against his forehead. All of the

fans knew that their investments were lost and their bets were wiped out.

They had been done in by their very own Mike Smith.

Page 16

The announcer called the plays... "Mike is winding up for

another pitch... crack... fly ball to center, number 18 is coming up for

the catch... that's one out." The next batter came to bat. "Mike Smith

pitches again... crack... this batter grounds to first, and the first

baseman makes an easy out." Now Mike was getting confident. The crowd

was warming up. Larry, Jim and Billy hadn't moved a muscle or spoken a

word since the first pitch. "And now Mike Smith is winding up... the

pitch... crack!... high fly to left aaaannnnndddd, yes, the outfielder

catches the easy pop fly to retire the side." The crowd actually began

to cheer.

Page 19

When the Marlins came to bat, they put up a gallant fight. The

first batter hit the ball hard to the third baseman. The play was made,

and the throw to first was unbelievable. Even the replay showed

it was a dead heat, but the umpire called the runner out. The second

batter pounded the ball to the wall, but the outfielder caught it as he

crashed into the wall for the second out. The third batter struck out.

This series was being played in the field, and defense was going to be

the deciding factor. Innings two, three, and four went three up and

three down for each side. The crowd was getting restless.

Page 20

In the top of the fifth, Mike allowed a double and a single. Then a

wild pitch sent home the runner on third. One to nothing. Mike was

demoralized. Another single put men on first and third with no outs. Then,

another wild pitch sent the runners to third and home. Two to nothing. Mike

walked the next two batters. The bases were loaded. Mike was getting tired.

A slow pitch over the plate allowed the batter to hit a hot smash to second

with one bounce. The man on third went home, while the second baseman

 forced the double play between second and first. Now it was three to nothing

with a runner at third with two outs. A wild pitch sent the runner at third

to home, but the catcher recovered the ball. threw it to Mike at the plate

and retired the inning when the tag was made. Mike was a mess.

Page 23

The coach told Mike to settle down. "Just throw the ball over the

plate, and let the fielders do the rest," he said. The next three innings

were played quickly and neither side made any runs. At the top of the

ninth, Mike could barely send the ball the distance. Two balls were grounded

out to the shortstop. The third batter pounded the ball foul into deep right

field, where the right fielder made the catch to retire the side. The score

was still three to nothing, and the Marlins would now have their final time

at bat. This was it.

Page 24

The sun was setting, the air was cool, and the fans were getting

hot. The lights were now coming on as the final game of the World Series

was down to its last inning. The Marlins were down by three runs in

the bottom of the ninth. The first batter struck out. The pitcher was

throwing hard fast balls. The second batter struck out. The third batter

was up... WALK! Their last pitcher was burned out. He was all over the

place with his pitches. The crowd went wild. The next batter was up...

WALK! Then the next batter... WALK! The bases were loaded! With two outs

in the bottom of the ninth, here came Mike Smith to bat!

Page 27

The crowd let out a groan! Mike was beginning to feel a little

rejected. He took a deep breath and stepped up to the plate.

Page 28

"STRIKE ONE!!" yelled the umpire. Mike didn't even see that

one leave the pitcher's hand. He stepped out of the box looking for a

signal from the third base coach; it was to hit away. As the next pitch

was released, Mike started his swing. "STRIKE TWO!!" yelled the umpire.

Mike was beginning to get a little concerned. O and two was the count,

two outs, down by three, and three men on. "This is it," thought Mike,

as the next pitch came in low and outside. A deadly silence filled the

stadium. Mike swung the bat...CRACK!

Page 31

It was gone! That ball left the park with the skin torn half off

of it. Mike Smith had pounded out a Grand Slam to win the series for the

Marlins in the final inning.

Page 32

As the team accepted victory, Gatorade was being poured. Mike got

out of his uniform, went out the back way, and hurried home in time to

watch the post-game show on TV. Mike never returned to baseball and years

later most everyone had forgotten his name. It's a pity. He didn't even

have a contract.

Page 35

This book is the last remaining evidence that Mike was truly a hero

that day back in 2003. If you ask people who Mike Smith is, they will

tell you they have never heard of him. This is more sad proof that he

has become "Baseball's Unsung Hero!"

Page 36