Baseball Player Strikes Out Batter, Walks Off Field, Hugs Kid and Retires [VIDEO]

I love a good “sports cry.” It’s probably why I’m a sucker for movies that depict moments that real-life athletes might have gone through.

Which is why I’m sharing the events that unfolded at Wrigley Field a couple of days ago with you.

Whenever I hear Rock Balboa shout, “Yo, Adrian!  I did it!” or watch Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger sack the quarterback on the last and only play of his college football career at Notre Dame, I can’t help but wipe the “dust” out of my eyes.

While Rocky is a somewhat fictitious character (based on the life of the “Bayonne Bleeder” Chuck Wepner) and Rudy was played by a much better looking Sean Astin (“Goonies“) for dramatic purposes, neither could top what Chicago Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood did last Friday.

After 13 injury-plagued seasons in the big leagues, Wood announced that he would be retiring from the game for good.  During the 8th inning of the Cubs game against the cross-town rivals White Sox, Wood was summoned to pitch to one final batter.

The flamethrowing right-hander fanned Dayan Viciedo on just three pitches for the second out of the inning before being removed from the game for the final time in his career.  He exited to the cheers of the Cubbies faithful and was greeted just in front of the hometown nine’s dugout by his son – who he proceeded to give a giant hug.

Hollywood doesn’t write ‘em any better than that.  See it for yourself