Thanks a lot, Bill Mazeroski. You ruined it for the rest of us

With the recent celebration of the Pittsburgh Pirates 1960 World Series victory over the New York Yankees, a lot has been said about Bill Mazeroski's epic home run in the bottom of the 9th inning that gave the city of Pittsburgh its first world championship in 35 years. Anytime Maz is interviewed or honored at some function, he's always so humble and "aw shucks" about the moment. "Why does everyone make a big deal out of it?" Are you kidding me, Maz? Seriously. Nobody can be this humble. The man hit the single-greatest home run in the history of Major League Baseball. Yes, I know, Bobby Thompson's dramatic home run in 1951 that clinched the National League pennant for the New York Giants is more famous. But in my opinion, that's because of the dramatic call by the play by play man. Maz's home run came in game 7 of the World Series against the New York Yankees, a team that dominated the game for decades. Certainly a superior moment in baseball history.

I love football. It's always been my favorite sport and always will be, but if I had to choose between catching the game winning touchdown in the Super Bowl or hitting the game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th inning in the 7th game of the World Series, I would pick the latter. What's better than that in the world of team sports?

Bill Mazeroski is the only guy who has ever done it. If I were him, I would be screaming it from the mountain tops. I would have cards made up that read, "The man who hit the winning home run in game 7 of the 1960 World Series." I would pass them out to people. If I wasn't married or attached, I would bring up the event in conversations with every woman I met.

Maz likes to say that everyone played a part in winning that World Series title, and he's right, but still, if that were me, I don't think I could be as humble as he has been over the years. He's a better man than me, that's for sure.

Heck, I caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime of a game in the Randy Pausch flag football tournament last year and I wrote a blog about it and called it favorite PSL moment of all time. And it wasn't even that great of a play. I still tell people about it any chance I get. I always wondered why nobody was really impressed by it until I started thinking about Maz and his attitude about his dramatic game-winner. If Bill Mazeroski can be so humble about what he did, who's going to care about any of my athletic achievements? How can I use it to impress anyone?

A flag football tournament is great and all, but it sure isn't game 7 of the World Series.

I'm into bowling these days. Who am I going to impress with the 160 game that I had the other day? Certainly not Maz, that's for sure.

Bill Mazeroski, your humble attitude towards the single-greatest home run in the history of baseball has ruined it for guys like me who like to brag about every little accomplishment.

Thanks a lot, Maz! I hope you're happy!