- Video And The Experience Of Throwing Out The First Pitch In Game 7 Of The World Series
- On The “Value Proposition” Of Spending A Million Starpoints For The Experience Of A Lifetime
- 10 Final Thoughts On Throwing Out The First Pitch
DD sports posts:
–Trip Notes: An Indians Fan Playing Ball In Wrigley
–October Redemption Time In Believeland
–But What Would They Do If An Indians Fan Took The Mound?
–Trip Notes: The Redemption, The Comeback, The Renaissance, The Chasedown, The Block, The Shot Part 2, The Tearjerker; Call It What You Want But This Was A Night To Remember
–Can The Cavs End Cleveland’s Curse?
–Better Than Any First Class Suite…Taking My Son To His First Ballgame
–Trip Notes: Hall Of Fame Trifecta And Fenway Park In 72 Hours
–Trip Notes: A Father & Son Day Trip To Chicago For A Ballgame And A DO
–Stealing 2nd Base: My Coolest Use Of Miles Ever?
–My First Non-Travel Mileage Redemption
–Take Me Out To The Ballgame…Buy Me Some Kosher Chili And Ribs.
–Manny Being Manny…
Follow my travel and sports obsession on Instagram @DansDeals.
On November 2nd, 2008 I married Mimi in Overland Park, Kansas. We were young and naive at 23 and 21 years old, but we were ready to take on the world and life’s adventures.
Since then we’ve had 2 amazing kids that have brightened our life as we explore the world together. I couldn’t possibly ask for a better wife or mother for our children.
From our August mileage run to Boston that earned us more than 300,000 miles:
We’ve traveled from Argentina to Tasmania. From Banff to Phuket. From Paris to the Whitsunday Islands. From the Maldives to Zurich. From Sydney to Venice. From the spiritual hills of Jerusalem to the awe inspiring Mauna Kea and Na Pali cliffs.
All in first class.
All on points.
Sometimes it’s been crazy, like when I took advantage of a glitch for free first class tickets to Buenos Aires that required leaving the house in less than an hour. Other times it’s worked out better, like when I used miles to buy out an entire first class cabin to Brazil.
Our kids have flown on over 100 flights thanks to the mileage game!
But travel is just one of my passions.
The other big one is sports.
As a 5th generation Clevelander on both my mother’s and father’s side I’m a die-hard Cleveland sports fan.
As a 90s kid I sent in hundreds of postcards and won tickets to watch the ’95 World Series. Earlier that year I got nearly whole team’s autograph (Belle and Murray were the holdouts) when we stayed in the Westin Harbour Castle Toronto where the Tribe was staying.
I cried when they lost it in game 7 in 1997 despite there being no crying in baseball.
I had World Series tickets in 2007 that lay unused thanks to Boston coming back from being down 3-1.
I was there when when the Cavs got swept out of the Finals in 2007, though my grandfather and I left a few minutes early when he told me how his dad and him left just before watching the Giants sweep the Indians in 1954.
But he went to World Series games in 1948 as a 9 year old, the last time the Indians won it all. Nobody younger than him can even remember it.
In 2013 I drove with my brother JJ and my grandfather to the NFL, MLB, and NBA hall of fame and then finished the trip by watching Tito’s Indians beat up on the Red Sox from the front row of the Green Monster. Enough memories to last a lifetime.
Later that year I got to steal 2nd base in middle of an Indians game thanks to 25K United miles. It was by far my coolest use of miles ever.
Running onto the field in the top of the 7th…
…and stealing second base!
Making off with my loot.
I called to get winning pitcher Justin Masterson’s attention after the game by saying that I had stolen second base from the game. When he looked up and saw the base he was shocked and exclaimed, “I thought you were kidding, you really do have second base!!!”
Later that year I watched Salazar try to win the Wild Card game, but the Indians bats didn’t show up that night. The Jake was on fire that night, the atmosphere was just like the 90s again.
In 2014 I took my son to his first ballgame. It was an amazing moment for me. By 2015 I was already bringing him to Indians away games. At 5 years old today he knows every airplane type and the Indians starting lineup. His favorite airplane is the 747 and his favorite Indians player is Jason Kipnis.
In June I flew to Oakland and finally got to witness a Cleveland team win it all. The nonstop United flights to and from Cleveland that day were like party buses.
I went to the parade with my grandfather and my son. Another bucket lister checked off.
But the Tribe was always where my heart was. When would their turn be?
Earlier this year I got to play Softball in Wrigley Field thanks to Starwood Starpoints.
Some people didn’t like that I put on my Indians hat at a Cubs event. I told them all and wrote online at the time that I was just previewing the 2016 World Series.
Before this series I wrote my prediction on the DansDeals Forums:
And here we are, game 7!
I’m excited beyond anything I can describe in writing.
But just one more thing:
I won a Starwood auction to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the game tonight!
I’ll be pitching just before Jim Thome, who has a statue just outside of the ballpark.
It’s a lifelong dream come true.
Now, I’m no athlete. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
It’s entirely possible that it will wind up like this, just a bit outside:
But I can take it. Being a meme doesn’t faze me. Just the experience to be on the field before game 7 in the World Series will be incredible. And having my wife by my side on our anniversary only makes it that much more sweet.
The only way it could possibly get any better is if the Indians win it all tonight!
Go Tribe!
-Bid on your own SPG Moments packages with your Starpoints or Marriott points.
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135 Comments On "8 Years Ago Was The Biggest Night Of My Life, Tonight Will Try To Come Close As I Toss A Ceremonial First Pitch At Game 7 Of The World Series"
All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.
I guess Sheen didn’t take you up on your offer.
Care to share what your max bid was?
Dan,
U NEED to let Charlie Sheen throw it if you want the Tribe to win!
DAN Ur a LEGEND.
You deserve it for all your help.
Thank you and Enjoy!!!!!!!!
@toasted:
it’s in the post
Winning Bid: 1,060,500 Starpoints
So are you going to be able to stay for the game????
Dan,
I am no sports fan, not even a little. And I’m from nowhere near Cleveland. But your excitement is contagious! Go Tribe!
@J:
Read the post, it includes tickets to the game.
WOW!!!
You are living the dream
Congrats Dan. Big fan of your website, however, gotta be true to my roots. Go Cubs!
Have fun! Good for you! Dont bounce it haha
Congrats Dan and GOOD LUCK!!
@anonymous
That was the “winning” bid. I think it’s like ebay where you submit a max bid. Just curious what his highest offer was. 2m?
Congratulations, good luck and relish every moment!
Very happy for you, great story
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/481646/history-orthodox-rabbi-to-throw-out-first-pitch-at-historic-world-series.html
Go make the best of it together with your wife, Happy Anniversary!
We love you Dan but Go Cubs #flytheW it’s our time.
wow, what siyata d’shmaya that your Antarctic cruise didn’t work out.
So happy you are fulfilling a dream, but hard for me personally to understand how this is a better use of points than the Antartica trip!
Enjoy and Happy Anniversary!
Dan you da man!! Congrats!!
Dan for all the help you give ppl. Literally changing the lives of so many. Enriching mine and my families lives. I am so happy for you that you get this amazing opportunity.
Power to you!
Keep up the amazing work you do!
A big fan
Mazal Tov!
Thank you for that, go tribe! âš¾ï¸âš¾ï¸âš¾ï¸
@LS: indians ina game 7 hasn’t happened in 71 years.
You should gift this experience to Steve Bartman
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/indians-hall-of-famer-to-throw-game-7-ceremonial-first-pitch-110216
i think Jim Thome is throwing out the first pitch.
This is awesome: Best use of points ever — have a great time!
wow mazel tov! So happy for you, enjoy the memories
I just read that Jim Thome is throwing out the first pitch.
How many first pitches are there anyway…?
@Chaim: Oh come on! No offense to Dan, but even Yeshiva World and Onlysimchas.com calls every guy with a beard a “Rabbi”?!
For a million SPG POINTS. curious and excited to see how many new followers you can capatilize
You should gift the experience to Steve Bartman!
@Isaac K.: Isaac K, Bad reason to go for the tribe, Go CUBBIES!
Enjoy the experience.
Go Cubs! #flythew
@zalman: First Dan, then Thome. Dan is throwing the “ceremonial-ceremonial first pitch.” Lol
Be there tonight too…looking forward to seeing you toss out the first pitch…Go Tribe!!
Throw A curve ball …
Dan, Give them a good Babba Booey on your pitch!
MAZAL TOV
Enjoy your night-Make your Rebbetzin and the entire DDF family proud!
Hope there will be a You Tube post.
I’m sure you’ve been practicing your fastball.
It almost makes me want to come late to a wedding tonight (not mine-LOL) just to see a member of our mishpocha on national TV (if they show it on FOX)
You really spent a million points on this? WOW
Dan,
Mazel Tov! What a remarkable opportnity.
Ditto to earlier commenters who expressed hakaras hatov for all you do. Thank You!
Only thing… I too am rooting for the underdogs… GO CUBS!
congrats!
Please wear a Yechi Yarmuka
let’s go cubs
Come on guys
https://twitter.com/cbssportsmlb/status/793900272980557824
Congratulations!! I am so happy for you and wish them the best of luck!
yasher koach. Go Cubs! I think we have suffered longer.
Thome is throwing out the 2nd pitch. Dan is throwing the first one. 😃
make The Cubs great again
You seem to get to Boston a lot. I’m there pretty regularly myself (although I live in Israel). Would love to meet up sometime.
Married to a Chicagoan so I won’t comment on tonight’s game, except to say enjoy!
How do you get notified of these bidding opportunities?
Amazing, wow!!!!! Btw I cried when I the mets lost in 1973 when I was a young girl . I understand totally.
id probably go for the cruise to Antarctica over throwing off a ball at half the spg price. but hope you enjoy this moment all of your fans wish you good luck!!!!!! thanks for all that you do for us you definitely earn this
https://auction.starwoodhotels.com/moments/soldout/3883 Iguess dan wil be a victim of the terms and conditions.
You know the tune…
Congrats, enjoy!!! Very happy for you!
Throw a piece of kishka instead of a baseball
Good luck Dan! Will the first pitch be televised? $20,000 value minus the cost of of tickets!
Dan is the second Jew to pitch in the World Series.
Enjoy – but go Cubs!
B’H That Cleveland wins. I’m going with the sentimental favorite. Sorry. We’ll all be watching.
Dann
Congratulations on Winning the first pitch! You deserve it for all the amazing deals you pass on to all of us! My family has gotten to go to our families in Israel and LA because of it. Not to mention all the posts that inspired our Hawaii trip!
WOW FUN TIME! but for me Baseball as a sport is the most boring sports game to watch! I despise baseball as a sport. I like cricket though and all the other sports much more but I never like baseball
1 milli SPG points for that? wow
good for bringing more attention/views to your site, though
before the pitch fake a pick off to first
Outstanding! Your passion is contagious! The miles are for family memories! Well done!
Holy cow 1,060,500 Starpoints. That’s way more than 2 two week trip to Antarctica.
Plunk Schwarber!
This is a wonderful story Mazol Tov!!
Have a great time. But GO CUBS!!
Any link to see this live
It CUB time. They waited longer. Sorry people, get in line.
I’m a huge Dan’s Deal follower for years and an MLB Player Agent representing big league guys like Carlos Ruiz, Justin Bour, Chris Heston, and Pat Venditte. Dan and I almost hooked up for a game years ago when I was going to come out to see one of my big league Indians but before I could make the trip, he was sent down to the minors. One of my best friends is Mike Napoli’s agent, Brian Grieper–also a big Dan’s Deals fan. Brian will be in the stadium tonight rooting on Dan, Napoli and the Indians. (Dan, if you want to connect with Brian, i put my email above and I can put you two in touch. Maybe you can Party at Napoli’s?!) Have a great time, Dan, as it seems you always do. Thanks for all your great work on this site. Enjoy the moment and go Tribe!
Nobody said Happy Anniversary!!!!
Did you use all of your Starpoints?
No matter what the CUBBIES will kick the indian’s red asses!!!!!!!
Congrats Dan!!!!
Enjoy every second of the experiance.
As a life long Phillies/Eagles fan…would do the same if I have the opportnity.
Dont embarrass your tribe (reach the plate at least…no more then one bounce) or the Indians!
Moshe
@Anonymous: All his SPG? That is funny.
Like you, I a m a long suffering Cleveland sports fan. In my 70 years, I was at the Drive, the Shot, gome 6 in Atlanta, game 7 in Miami. I cleverly didn’t attend the Cavs playoff games and they won. I will be at game 7 tonight, and I hope my personal curse will be broken, by virtue of a true member of the Tribe throwing out the first pitch.
Basically Dan bought the Brooklyn Bridge for a million standpoints.
You rock man! As much as I want to see the Cubs fans witness a championship since it’s been so long, I’m rooting for you brother.
Thanks for all your great work. Enjoy the moment. You deserve it.
@cohen gn: 200,000*
I was in Detroit when the Tigers won the World Series in 1968. I was in a bus coming home from college The bus was at the stop right in front of the IBM and General Motors main offices. Ticket tape came flying from everywhere. Traffic was jammed for 2 1/2 hours. I was fit to be tied – but I do not want to spoil the thrill of pitching the ceremonial first pitch. May the best team win but I am glad the win will happen in your home town 🙂
Mazal tov Dan! Once in a lifetime!!
Dan you got a shout out on ESPN.
Starwood Preferred Guest Member Daniel Eleff cashed in 1.06 million Starpoints to throw out the 1st pitch at Game 7 tonight in Cleveland. Hotel chain says he cashed in the equivalent of over a month of free nights in a superior room at the St. Regis New York.
Share
8m
Congrats!
I am just curious how is it possible to collect over 1mil SPG miles 🙂 🙂 🙂 Obviously you are big baseball fan if you spent double the points than you were willing to spend for the trip to Antarctica :).
So at let’s say 1 cent to 2 cent value, you paid $10,000 -$20,000 for this?
Geez… seems like there are a LOT of better things to do with that kind of bread.
when the jumbo tron says your name just have them write courtesy of @dansdeals and this will not only be the coolest thing you do, but also be a worthy investment
Go Dan! Make a strike! The whole travel community if rootin’ for you!
Dollar Coins Baby!!!!
Not a baseball fan, but I truly understand how insanely priceless this is. Enjoy it. Worth the 1 million spg points.
where online can we watch Dan’s pitch?
Just posted on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/793956647932547076
TMZ, nice!!
http://m.tmz.com/#article/2016/11/02/charlie-sheen-game-7-indians-cubs-first-pitch/
A great reward for a great guy –
THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO TO HELP THE COMMUNITY!
@publicit – I’m sure he gets TONS of SPG Amex referral business!
1,060,500 Starpoints
@Dan Are you collecting these SPG through referral and affiliate or through spend(1 million dollar spend)
@VM
UPS
Dan please post pix and video, I missed it
Dan,
Enjoy, well deserved. Although I will be rooting for those lovable Cubbies.
I would’ve stayed at a St Regis for a month for 1million points, sooner than spend it for 1 pitch…but I suspect that for Dan the Man, 1 million is only a fraction of his SPG nest egg.
If anyone has pics or video of our Man Dan, Please post!
Good things for good ppl ! happy for you
@eli Munk: How is 1,000,000 starwood points worth $200,000? Please explain?
Dan
I don’t watch baseball even the 7th game (don’t tell anyone) but I watched if for you but it looks like you pitch was not on TV.
Mazel Tov!
Dan on top post of TMZ.com
Dan, I am glad to hear you are doing something you’ve dreamt about. You will do great, but just as Derek Jeter recommended to president Bush ‘just don’t bounce it or they’ll boo you’ (Meir 😎) I wish you the best of luck, and will cheer for you.
Thank you for all that you do ðŸ™
Dan,
That is such a sweet story! It isn’t all about the miles and points. Congratulations! Enjoy your night! And, happy anniversary too!
I am a bit surprised to see you wearing that hat. I wonder how you would feel if a team had an offensive caricature of a Jew as their mascot.
Saw Charlie Sheen trending on FB and went to check it out on TMZ and was very surprised to see Dan!
http://www.tmz.com/2016/11/02/charlie-sheen-game-7-indians-cubs-first-pitch/
@Josh:
Yup. m.tmz.com/#article/2016/11/02/charlie-sheen-game-7-indians-cubs-first-pitch/
Just a gentle warning to those careful about shmiras einayim, use the link in commnent 108 and not the one in 107…
Wish someone would have warned me before…
Dan, sorry to see the Indians lose. There’s always next year!
Anything that Dan’s involved in always has to be dramatic… 🙂
Well that was disappointing!
Sorry about your loss but great game and great pitch😉
My condolences.
Hooray Cubbies!
CUBS WON!!!!!!
Most dramatic game of all time. But the Cub hub deserved it. They waited 108 years…
enough batalah…back to the beis medrash…
Up 3-1, cleveland had 3 chances to win. They probability of losing 3 in a row on the big stage is so bad, it’s far worse to lose that way versus not being in the finals. Congratulations Cubbies – you’re true champions
Haven’t followed Baseball in years. Was rooting for the Indians, hoping you would have your night. Hope it didn’t ruin the experience.
Your travel and sports bio is awesome. I love traveling and going to sporting events including over 10 NBA All-Star Games, watching Lebron James win Championships in Miami and Oakland, Copa America opening game in Santa Clara, CA and final game in NJ at night with a stop at the Yankees day game, Olympics in London and Rio, World Cup in Brazil, baseball games in Japan and Korea, Australian Open and cricket in Melbourne, wrestling in Dakar, Senegal, NFL in Mexico City, NBA games in Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen, tennis finals in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Abu Dhabi and a few more events. Most of these places I ended up in first class using miles. Hopefully we will cross paths one day and have a drink while talking sports and travel. Take care worldtravelguy on instagram
Was the first pitch on tv?
Is there a link where we can see it?
Hope you had complete h’naah by throwing out the ceremonial pitch. For 108 years here in Chicago they say “Wait Until Next Year”
By us it is “L’shana Haba B’Yerushalayim” I”YH that should come about immediately
I don’t know the first thing about sports, buy I’m getting misty. Your life should continue to make you beam with joy!
Sorry for your loss, but we needed this much more.
MAZEL TOV, Hatzlocha for the future
Post a link with the pitch!
Rashi gives a beautiful commentary to this whole post. See Vayikra (Leviticus) 18:3
Help! Does anyone know whether I say Hallel with or without a bracha this morning?
Waiting for the post pitch write up and Video as it wasn’t viewable on MLB at bat
How many “first” pitches were there?
On MLB Network I saw Dan walking out to the mound and then back towards home plate, but couldn’t see the pitch. Dan was visible in the distant background during the pre-game banter of the on-field commentators.
I hope you had complete hanah (satisfaction)when you thre the ceremonial pitch. I mean that in full measure
Here in Chicago for 108 years they have been saying “wait until next year”
We for that last 2000 years say “Lishana Haba B’Yerushalyim and we believe it could happen in the blink of an eye if we really want it
Thanks for sharing this emotional story Dan!
It’s amazing and inspiring to see that people like you, within the internet community sacrifice so much for the benefit of others; and I’m truly, deeply happy to see that this exciting journey can produce moments like this for you, your wife, and your family.
As “TimeForSomeCheese” Said, I’m glad you, Dan, the guy I read avidly EVERY DAY and who thought me so much over the past year, became human to me. You indeed became this normal yet amazing guy, living a normal life, filled with dreams and family.
MAZEL TOV!!!