On the eve of Mother’s Day 2020, it marks the 10 year anniversary of Dallas Braden throwing the 19th perfect game in MLB history. Although DB’s perfect game was already a historic event, it was even more special since his Sunday start was on Mother’s Day. Anyone unfamiliar with any back story on Dallas Braden, the A’s pitcher lost his mother to cancer when he was in high school and was raised by his grandmother, Peggy Lindsey.

“It hasn’t been a joyous day for me in a while,” Braden said when speaking to the SFGATE. “To know that I can still come out and compete and play in a game on that day makes it a little better, and with my grandma in the stands – to give her this, together, is perfect.”

Mother’s Day is always such a great time of the year. It’s usually accompanied by some of the first glimpses of warm weather for us northeast brethren. The only negative of Mother’s Day is it’s impossible to buy gifts for mom, us men just simply aren’t good at it. Flowers, wine or chocolate covered whatever only gets ya so far and repeating the same gifts year in year out ain’t cool.

Since 2010, DB has made all of us look bad. How do we possibly top throwing a perfect game on Mother’s Day? 27 up 27 down to the Tampa Bay Rays, the best team in baseball at the moment. Per usual, Braden was mobbed by teammates after the 27th out was recorded, but it didn’t take long for DB to rush and give his grandmother, who meant so much to him, a massive hug and conversation that I would assume meant the world to him.

Even when sports are involved, we are often reminded that some things are bigger than sports. Like a Phoenix born left hander from Stockton, who was raised by his grandma after his mother was taken from us entirely way too early to such an awful disease. Today we salute you Dallas Braden.

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