By Cassidy Dover: "The Call Up"

When does the dream become the reality?

I’ll never forget that phone call.  It was after midnight on June 1st.  I was up getting ready for work the next day.  My boss was coming to work with me and so I was making sure everything was exactly perfect and would go off without a hitch.

Let me back up a few days first.

The week before this the team Ray was with called up another pitcher.  I was upset and confused. Ray was doing so well, he was finally on the roster, and still no call up.  I went into overdrive on how we had no money, I had to stop spending, so did he.  I ran out and bought some hair color to color my own hair.  How difficult could it be?  Why pay over $50 for a color job when all I really needed to do were my roots.  That box for $5.95 would be perfect.  I chose a color with a red undertone.  Then I colored my own hair.  It turned purple.  Yep, purple.  I had blond highlights and the red mixed with the highlights and turned my hair purple.  It was awful!

So Ray called me after midnight.  “Hey Cass.  Are you up?” he asked.

“Yeah.  I’m just getting ready for my boss tomorrow.  What’s going on?”

“Can you fly to Chicago tomorrow?”

“No, I have my boss working with me all day. Didn’t you just hear me say that? What’s going on?”

“Well I don’t want you to miss my first big league game on the 3rd.  Just thought you’d like to get in a day early to get settled,” Ray said.

“WHAT?!  Did they call you up?!” I screamed into the phone.

“That’s what I’m saying!”  We laughed and talked over one another and were just plain overjoyed.

I spent the majority of that night on the phone with airlines trying to get flights for Ray’s parents and siblings to fly out to be at the game.  It was not easy and it was not cheap.  I didn’t care though.  I wanted them to all be there for that moment.  They had spent their lives dreaming this dream with Ray.  I had only spent the past five years dreaming it.  What was a little credit card debt at a time like this?

The next morning I called my boss and told him Ray was called up and I couldn’t work with him, I was going to Chicago.  Fortunately for me, he understood.  I arrived in Chicago during the game.  When I got to the hotel there was no key for me.  Ray had forgotten to give the front desk permission to let me go to the room.  So I sat in the lobby of the hotel waiting for him to get in from the field.

Ray walked in with some other guys on the team.  “Ray!” I called.  He kept walking.  He actually acted as if he didn’t hear me.  “Ray Dover!  It’s me, Cassidy, your wife!” I said.  He turned and saw me.

“Sorry honey.  I thought you’d be up in the room.  Let’s go upstairs.”

As we walked in the elevator I saw a few guys from his team.  He started to introduce me.  One of the veterans said to me, “If Ray had been in the big leagues for awhile you’re hair would be eclectic.  He’s a rookie so it’s just bad hair.” I laughed.  I had totally forgotten about my hair before that moment.

The next day Ray’s family and some friends arrived in town.  We all had rooms at the hotel.
Around 1 pm Ray asked me to drive him to the park.  I was so excited and nervous for him!
We got to the field and I gave him a big hug.  I told him I loved him and I knew he’d do great.  I took his picture outside the clubhouse door and went back to the hotel.

Ray’s younger siblings wanted to make signs.  We spent the afternoon doing that.
I still remember what I wore to that game: a pair of black pants and a blue/gray top.  I had my hair in a ponytail under a team hat (I had to hide the purple hair!).  I remember getting to the game, parking, and finding our seats.  I remember thinking there were so many people there!  It was surreal that all those people were there to watch the game and Ray would be pitching!

As Ray threw his first pitch, a strike, a tear ran down my face.  I turned and watched his mother and father.  His dad was cheering his heart out.  His mom was sitting back with her arms around herself.  They had dreamed this moment in their minds for 25 years.  Now it was a reality.

Those six innings were fun.  They were exciting.  It didn’t really matter to any of us how Ray did (for the record, he got the loss but it was a 3-2 ball game so he had his first quality start that night).  What was important was that he was there.  He had worked tirelessly for the past 5 years since he was drafted, and truthfully his entire life,  to reach that moment.

That moment was his alone. 

In those two hours and fifteen minutes, Ray had accomplished everything he had set out to accomplish.  He had been able to achieve what few of us in this lifetime get to achieve.

His dreams had become His Reality. 

Thanks for reading,
Cassidy

Cassidy Dover has been a baseball wife for more than 10 years.  Her husband Ray, currently in the minor leagues, has spent part of 7 seaons in The Show.  To read more of her columns, just click HERE.  Cassidy lives somewhere in America with her daughter Sheridan.  Right now, they're probably waiting for Ray to come home.