One Lucky Fan

Featured in the New York Daily News!<BR> <BR>Twenty-five years ago, Rich O’Malley combined his two great loves – sports and travel – into one “superhobby,” launching a lifelong dream of seeing a home game for every franchise in American professional sports.<BR><BR>Ever watch a big game on TV and say, “I would give anything to be there right now”? For Rich O’Malley that desire turned into a quest that plopped him down in hundreds of bleachers and box seats.<BR> <BR>Once Rich had swept through all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, he focused on a bigger prize: seeing a home game for all 123 teams in the four major U.S. pro sports leagues – MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL.<BR> <BR>This is the story of Rich’s pursuit of that goal. It begins with his childhood roots as a fan and takes you back to relive some of the most historic – and just plain unbelievable – moments he’s experienced firsthand.<BR> <BR>It culminates in a 25,000-mile, two-month whirlwind tour Rich undertook to fulfill his dream.<BR> <BR>Throughout, he contemplates the qualities that unite fans – even rivals. Rich weaves this concept into the story, encouraging readers to reminisce about favorite memories and hoping to inspire their own adventure.<BR> <BR>“Some of us keep an envelope of old ticket stubs, O'Malley would need a hammock. Follow along as he zig zags across North America to check off the ultimate sports fan bucket list. What most of us have only heard about in legend or seen on TV—like the roar of the 12th Man in Seattle—O'Malley has seen firsthand. And from Black Friday at the Mall of America to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, he serves up a bit of Americana with every stop. His journey will have readers itching to take a sports quest of their own." – Sarah Spain, ESPN