Lifelong Cobra fan named pitcher of the month
The year 2000, known as the Year of the Penguin, was also the starting point of the long running New York Cobra dynasty. Brad was not yet the team owner. He was in his second season of managing the team and posted his first winning record, largely thanks to a 149 RBI MVP season from Joltin Joe Thomas.
The previous season New York finished with a 71-91 record. Late in the year they made a rare managerial trade, swapping Dennis "the duck" Williams to St. Louis for Brad Boomer. One year later, Brad led the team to 90 wins and a playoff spot. Before he could get started on the job however, Brad had one more obligation to fulfill.
Several years earlier he had sold the rights to his likeness and image to be used as the logo for the Florida Penguins team. Included in the deal was a clause that called for Brad to start the Year of the Penguin as the leadoff batter for the Penguins. The Cobra would open their season one day after the Penguins, so Brad traveled to Denver to join the Penguins as they took on the Rabbits.
Brad had not batted in a game in nearly a decade at that point and was 43 years old. He took his place in the batter's box, facing Denver ace and future Hall of Famer Sunsurf. Sunsurf, a 38 year old legend, was a traditionalist who strongly objected to anyone making a mockery of the game. He considered Brad's token appearance to be a mockery and made his objection known by firing a high and tight fastball that knocked Brad's helmet off and took him out of the game. Brad's OBP for the season would be a perfect 1.000. The Penguins pinch ran for him, he went back to New York, and would never enter the game as a player again.
This year was the start of an intense rivalry between the Penguins and Cobra. They would meet in the playoffs with the Penguins gaining the upper hand on their way to the World Series. The Cobra would begin a streak of 22 years with winning records in which their lowest win total was 88 and included 6 world championships.
The family of Anthony and Maxine Stephens watched Cobra games that year, some at the ballpark, but most from their home in Long Island. That summer the Stephens had their 5th child, a boy they named after Brad's beloved third base coach, Elmer Fudd.
Twenty-two years later, the Stephens family celebrated a dream come true as Elmer was selected by his hometown team in the first round. After working his way up through the minors, Elmer has used his 100 MPH sinking fastball to become the team's closer. In June 2025 he pitched 14 innings over 12 games without allowing a run. He won 2 games, saved another 7, and was named Major League pitcher of the month.
posted by Chone Smith @ 12:21 PM
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