Baseball Player Andrew Dutton of Auburn Sparked a Romantic Moment Reminiscent of a Film Scene. Could One Not Appreciate the Allure of the Game?
Baseball's Romantic Side Shown in Auburn's Andrew Dutton's Home Run
Last night at Plainsman Park in Auburn, a moment that felt straight out of a movie script went down. The Tigers were crushing Jacksonville State, leading 18-0 in the fifth inning when something unexpected happened. Head coach Butch Thompson called up Andrew Dutton, a super-senior who had transferred from Birmingham-Southern College. Now, Dutton was coaching first base for Auburn, with no scholarship to his name. But the dream of one at-bat still flickered in his heart.
Andrew Dutton is no stranger to the emotions of baseball. The previous year, he had helped Birmingham-Southern College make it to the Division III College World Series, after the school decided to shut its doors for financial reasons. It was their last game, and the heartstrings of college baseball fans across the country were tugged.
So, when Thompson signaled him to take his place at the plate, the crowd went wild. Dutton's teammates cheered from the dugout, ready to embrace this shared moment. With a hard swing, he sent the ball flying over the right-field wall, traveling 381 feet in a dream-like trajectory. It was his first hit as an Auburn Tiger and one that he would remember for a lifetime.
But it wasn't just about the home run. Lost in the crowd's frenzy, Dutton was focused on one thing—touching first base. "I blacked out a little bit," he said later, "worried about touching first base, mainly."
For Thompson, the decision to give Dutton the chance to show off his skills was integral. "I told Andrew yesterday, 'Man, I'm going to do everything I can to get you an at-bat,'" he said. "It started with the players today. I think they would have been pretty sore at me if I hadn't gotten him in the ball game."
Fellow Auburn players rushed out to celebrate with Dutton, his younger brother Sam included. Both brothers shared a unique bond, having played together since their school shut down Birmingham-Southern. Sam Dutton summed up the experience best, saying, "Just seeing what all he's gone through, Birmingham Southern and all that, just made it that more special. It was awesome to see."
Baseball, it seems, can be quite the romantic endeavor, after all.
In the midst of a lopsided game, Dutton's unexpected at-bat brought a touch of football's underdog spirit to Plainsman Park, as he stepped up to the plate with a dream on his mind. Even if he hadn't scored a home run, the battling against the odds story of Andrew Dutton was reminiscent of thrilling tales from a sports lottery drawing, where a small ticket can change someone's life in an instant.
