Burkett's 850 Mile Junket

[NetShrine]

A big for his sense of duty. But, I still can't believe his family only has one car. Many married couples - esp. at his income level - have two cars, even if they are just two people.

September 12, 6:29 AM ET
Burkett drives from Texas home to Atlanta
Associated Press

Trapped in Texas without a flight or car, and scheduled to start in Atlanta less than 24 hours later, John Burkett did the only thing he could.

He borrowed former teammate Rusty Greer's SUV and drove. More than 11 hours and almost 850 miles.

"I felt obligated to my team to be there," the Braves pitcher said by cell phone from the road late Tuesday night.

"I would've felt sick watching the game at home, knowing I could've and should've been there, but wasn't," he said.

With permission from manager Bobby Cox, Burkett took a flight home to his family near Dallas after Sunday's game in Chicago. The team was off Monday, and he had planned to fly to Atlanta on Tuesday for the start of the Braves-Phillies series.

Burkett said he was working around the house in the morning when his sister-in-law called, telling him about the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Soon after, he learned that all flights were off until at least noon ET Wednesday. And the All-Star pitcher was supposed to start at 1:05 p.m. Wednesday in a game between NL East-leading Braves and second-place Philadelphia. The game was postponed.

After calling the Braves, Burkett considered his options. His wife, Laura, needed the couple's only car in Texas, and he tried without success to get a rental car.

Burkett then checked with Greer, who lives close by, and the Rangers outfielder said he had a spare vehicle.

"My feeling was Bobby Cox had been great to me, letting me go home, and it was up to me to be there to pitch," Burkett said. "It was my job."

With a basket of snacks and drinks packed by his wife, Burkett got on the highway Tuesday afternoon and headed east on I-20.

"I thought it would take about 14 hours, but it'll be more like 11," he said, shortly after passing the Alabama-Georgia border. "I've been going about 80 mph, and it's been pretty smooth."

The whole way, he kept the radio on, hearing news reports of what had happened in New York and Washington.

"It's the first trip I've ever taken where I didn't listen to music," he said.

Burkett said he stopped three times on his trip through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and encountered a little bit of rain. By midnight, he was about 50 miles from his residence in suburban Atlanta.

"This wasn't bad at all. It was something I felt I had to do for my team," he said.

All along, Burkett said his mind kept drifting to the victims of the tragedies.

"I've always liked visiting New York. I've walked around the World Trade Center, and I know the area," he said. "I just kept thinking about the people up there today."

[BuzzBuzzard]

The is giving him too much credit. I drove back from Washington DC, other co-workers drove home from Detroit to NJ. It is part of the job.

[NetShrine]

Buzz - I would give you a too.
Only because I'm a lazy ass that would cave and do the wrong thing - very easily.