From the outside looking in, David Ross seems like one of baseball’s most legitimately likable players. So it was nice to see the Chicago Cubs catcher receive a proper send-off and rise to the occasion Sunday night at Wrigley Field.
The veteran backstop is calling it a career after this season, but he and the Cubs obviously hope there’s a lot more baseball left. The team honored Ross on Saturday afternoon prior to the catcher’s penultimate home game.
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On Sunday night, in Ross’ home finale, Cubs fans showered him with praise as he came to the plate for his first at-bat against the St. Louis Cardinals.
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Then, in the fifth inning, Ross got a slider out over the plate and didn’t miss it, homering to make the most out of a memorable night on the North Side.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon came to the mound in the top of the seventh with two outs and Chicago leading 2-0 for what appeared to be some sort of mound meeting. Instead, Maddon was coming out to remove Ross from the game, allowing him to receive one final standing ovation from the fans.
An obviously emotional Ross was overcome with joy after the game.
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Ross hopes to cap his 15-year career, in which he played with seven different team, with another World Series ring. Ross was a member of the 2013 Boston Red Sox team that beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series for the 38-year-old’s first and only world title.
Thumbnail photo via Dennis Wierzbicki/USA TODAY Sports Images
