When an iconic player returns to play his former team. Mark Buehrle

[olerud363]

Mark Buehrle started for the Blue Jays in Chicago against the White Sox this evening and received a really nice ovation from the fans when he was announced, as well as when he left the game. It was commented on several times what a franchise guy he is/was - perfect game, World Series, 12-year ChiSox career etc.

The Toronto post-game show on FAN590 radio asked what Blue Jays player might have been the equivalent to Buehrle in terms of the reception he got when he returned to pitch against the Jays in Toronto. There aren't many that callers could think of, but the two names the came up most often were Dave Stieb and Roy Halladay.

Anyone think of players for your team who were still cheered when they returned home on another team?

 

[nevermore]

I was in the stands when Alfonso Soriano came to play the Yankees after being traded to Texas in 2004. He was cheered during the roster announcements but also after he hit a home run in that game. I've never witnessed that level of appreciation for another visiting player at Yankee Stadium.

 

[Austin]

Pudge Rodriguez when he returned to Texas with the Tigers.

 

[BunchOBull]

Frank Thomas received a standing O in 2006 upon his return to Chicago, while playing for Oakland. Upon hitting a home run, the White Sox fans cheered him on. Upon hitting a second home run, the crowd booed him.

 

[gmarutiak]

Two that I can think of for the Pirates (neither iconic, though):

1. When Sid Bream first came back to Three Rivers Stadium for the first time as a Brave (this was before he scored the run which sent them on a 20-year spiral from hell), he got such an ovation in his first at-bat that he later claimed he couldn't see the pitches, because he had tears in his eyes.

2. Earlier this season, when AJ Burnett pitched against the Bucs as a member of the Phillies, he got a great ovation, including a nicely prepared tribute on the scoreboard.

 

[JEBJJA]

Or when an iconic player returns home BACK with his old team X2!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT86klKHz08

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_sNw9pqAZc

 

[u2me57]

Yep, Jim Thome. You beat me to it.

 

[WaxPax]

I'm showing my age here, but being a Mets fan the one that comes mind immediately is Seaver. I remember the day he was traded to the Reds, but don't have much memory of his first start against the Mets.

To a lesser extent as far as iconic, Tug McGraw comes to mind as well. I do remember McGraw's first appearance against the Mets in his return to Shea stadium. When he got the third out of the inning, he began walking off the mound and headed to the Mets dugout even though he was wearing a Phillies uniform....

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[caster513]

Ill also throw out Kenny Lofton for the tribe.

And a obvious one in Ken Griffey Jr. returning to Seattle in '07.

 

[Brewer Andy]

Molitor coming to Milwaukee as a Blue Jay/Twin was always odd but of course he received a warm response. Most of our former players do beyond the Gary Sheffields

 

[Yanks2151]

He was not iconic, more of a fan favorite but I remember when Tino Martinez came back to Yankees Stadium to play against the Yanks he was greeted with a big cheers.

 

[michaelstepper]

I'm sure their are many. Obviously Griffey stands out the most for me, and the mariners did it right.

Special ball, fans standing O every at bat, time delays because of said standing O's.. The whole experience was a weekend not just a game.

The story of Sid Bream is great. He was given a hard time in A joking manner a lot and he took it extremely well but always seemed like a great guy. His winning run was the first postseason series I remember watching so that play brings back many fond memories

 

[gracecollector]

Mark Grace in 2001, returning to Wrigley got a big ovation. Lots of ex-Cubs have, like Maddux as a Brave, Dawson as a Marlin.

 

[DiebytheCubs]

Pudge Rodriguez when he returned to Texas with the Tigers.

That's kind of funny, I was just at a Tigers game a couple weeks ago where they honored his Tigers' career