Ona 2-2 pitch from Baltimore's Juan Guzman, Chavez hit a slow roller between shortstop and third. Baltimore third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. charged toward the mound, barehanded the ball and sidearmed the throw to first base. But Chavez was already sprinting down the line. An instant before the ball arrived, his spikes sank into the white base. It wasn't a pretty base hit, but Chavez was thrilled.
Every rookie wonders how long it'll take to get that first hit.
And Chavez had done it in just his second at-bat. Baltimore first baseman Rafael Palmeiro tossed the ball into the dugout so Chavez could keep the milestone souvenir. Every time Chavez looked at it, he'd remember his first major league hit. It would also be his own small link to Ripken, a future Hall of Famer. After the game, Chavez treated his family and friends to dinner.