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Alumnus moves into the big leagues

2007 graduate experiences professional career as assistant beat reporter

By Thor Nystrom

Monday, October 29, 2007

C.J. Moore walked into the Coors Field home clubhouse on June 1, two weeks after his graduation from the University of Kansas School of Journalism, and began introducing himself to Colorado Rockies players. Todd Helton, the team’s star first baseman and elder statesman, fresh out of the shower and clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist, turned around, dropped his towel, and shook the newcomer’s hand. Moore, shaken but courteous, reached for Helton’s hand. The five-time All-Star then pulled the beleaguered 22-year-old in for the hug — completely nude.

Welcome to the Majors, kid.

Helton, whose power has slowly dissipated over the years, went deep the night of Moore’s hug — one of only 17 home runs this year.

“Coincidence?” Moore asked. “I think not.”

And thus began the wild ride of his first professional job, the culmination of which was as an assistant beat reporter for a World Series team.

Moore was selected by MLB.com last winter as an associate reporter for the Rockies — a summer internship that turned into a lot more.

He initially wrote four stories a day when the Rockies were in town. The playoffs changed that routine.

MLB.com’s lead Rockie beat reporter Thomas Harding assumed full responsibility of game-related content, so Moore’s new task is enterprising stories that have pertinence to the team, such as the absence of big offense during the team’s historic 21 of 22 game winning tear before the World Series, or the team’s starting pitching difficulties against the Red Sox.

The Rockies, of course, were playing on borrowed time after a frenzied late-season push propelled them into a one-game playoff with San Diego. After the team’s 9-8, 13 inning victory, Moore described a wild locker room celebration that lasted into the Rocky Mountain’s morning hours.

Jorge Julio, a reliever who surrendered two runs in that game without securing an out, was a celebratory locker room nemesis of Moore after Colorado beat the Phillies in the Wild Card round.

“Jorge Julio was nice enough to spray me with champagne in the eyes — the same Julio that almost prevented the Rockies from making the playoffs,” Moore said. “So he can’t hit the strike zone but he can hit me in the eye with champagne. I was a little frustrated with Jorge.”

Moore left the stadium that evening, eyes stinging and drenched in champagne and beer, with a soggy notebook and blurry notes. He learned his lesson when the team clinched the NLCS the next week against Arizona — he brought a spare dry shirt.

Moore said he appreciated the World Series as an “event” but missed the intimacy of the regular season. Rockies beat reporters receive markedly less access during the playoffs and must share a crowded press box with a bevy of national media.

One of Moore’s favorite activities during the season was observing fan bases from opposing team’s making the trip to Coors Field. He said Cubs fans were absolutely obnoxious alcoholics and that more people were kicked out of the stadium for fighting during the Chicago series than the rest of the season combined.

Moore was particularly critical of Yankees fans, who the Rockies swept in June: “I call these people fans, but they aren’t really fans. What they are is sports bigamists. They are people not from New York who grow up and see that the Yankees are winning World Series and doing well. So they say ‘I want to root for a winner, the team in my town isn’t good, and so I will root for the Yankees.’ It’s an awful thing to do ­— like spitting in your mother’s face.”

Moore, who won 5th in spot news and 2nd in sports writing in the national Hearst Awards while at Kansas, has had conversations with varied baseball luminaries such as Bob Uecker, Woody Paige, Jay Mariotti, Jayson Stark, George Brett, Lou Pinella and Scott Boras while in Colorado.

Moore was initially nervous when writing stories for the team, but the feeling quickly dissipated as the summer wore on. He said it became easier to interview players because of familiarity.

The Kansas alumnus understands the good fortune of his current situation.

“If I never get to cover a World Series again, that will be OK,” Moore said. “Who would have thunk that I come out to Colorado, who hadn’t made the playoffs since 1995, and are now at this point? If this is my only World Series, so be it.”

— Edited by Meghan Murphy

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