Thirteen years later, Womack’s grand slam on Father’s Day still special
Jun 15, 2014, 4:17 PM | Updated: 8:49 pm
There are countless memories from the Arizona Diamondbacks’ lone championship season in 2001 that still live on in the annals of the organization’s history.
Arguably the most profound of those moments didn’t come during a do-or-die postseason game or autumn night at Yankee Stadium, but rather in the team’s Father’s Day contest against a struggling Detroit Tigers squad.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth and the D-backs already leading 2-1, light-hitting shortstop Tony Womack came to the plate to face right-hander Dave Mlicki.
Womack, who had lost his father just three weeks prior to the interleague affair, wasted little time honoring his memory. On Mlicki’s second offering, the veteran infielder swatted the ball over the right field fence for his first home run of the season.
What made the grand slam so special that afternoon wasn’t the four runs it provided Arizona in it’s 8-3 win over Detroit, but Womack’s reaction upon reaching home plate.
Thirteen years later that special Father’s Day long ball has certainly endured.
