The first baseball game I ever went to, the first sporting event of any kind for that matter, was a Giants versus Pirates match up on my tenth birthday. It was a present given to me by a college girl who used to watch me for my mother. As sitters go, she was my favorite, and she's a big reason why I am a Giants fan to this day. The game was, of course, at Candlestick Park. The Stick, as any true Giants fan would refer to it, even long after corporations bought their sponsorship rights to the stadium. The Giants blew out the Pirates that day, 12-1. It was back when the Pirates still had the black caps with three yellow stripes around the halo of the cap.

As a true, life-long Giants fan, it would be irresponsible of me to not take pause to remember one of the most loved Giants of our era. Relief Pitcher Rod "Shooter" Beck was found dead in his home today at the age of 38.

Beck had a nasty fastball that made him a successful closing pitcher throughout his career. He has the second most saves in Giants Franchise history with 199. He held the record for the club for six years, when Robb Nen broke the record in 2003. Beck finished his career with 286 saves and had a 3.30 career ERA. He pitched for the Giants, Cubs, Red Sox and Padres. His best two years were in 1993 and 1998, when he had 48 saves for the Giants and then 51 saves for the Cubs, respectively. He was on the mound to get saves that put the Giants into the playoffs in 1997 and again for the Cubs in 1998. Sadly, it was a game against the Giants to settle a tiebreaker for a Wild Card spot in 1998. But I forgive him, because it was at least the Cubs and not the hated Dodgers.

Beck was a reliable pitcher throughout his career. He was the kind of athlete who wanted to pitch in every game, wanted the ball in his hands when it was all on the line. This is certainly shown during the two games that helped his clubs make into the playoffs. He also had the handlebar mustache that certainly made him look like your typical ball player.

Beck does; however, have a black mark on his career. It came to an end when his demons could no longer be controlled, and his ball playing days succumbed to his drug habit. Sadly, it is a strong possibility that it also cost him his life. It is certainly not forgone, but when a 38-year-old man suddenly dies in other than an accident, the odds suggest that it would be the drugs. It's as disappointing as it is sad.

I choose to remember him for his on the field heroics, rather than off the field. Drug addiction; after all, is a disease. One of which that is almost impossible to escape from, when its fierce jaws gets a hold of its victim. And that's how I choose to remember the tragedy of Beck's life. He was a victim.

So for the ten-year-old heart inside of me, that still remembers his first live Giants game, I am thankful for the likes of Rod Beck. He helped build a ball club that I was proud to root for. I also know that my old sitter, Julie would have been proud of the Beck era as well. (She wound up running a comic book and baseball card store with her husband. How cool is that?)

The ten-year-old kid that still lives inside of me thanks you, Rod Beck. This ten-year-old kid will miss you. Rest in Piece.