Blue Jays manager John Gibbons and 103-year-old Jays fan Kitty Cohen made quite the couple at the Rogers Centre Saturday.

Thanks to a wish granted by the Jays, Cohen got to round the bases with the manager, and her walker. With a cheering family and bystanders urging her on, she gave Gibbons a run for the money.

“She got around there pretty good, she’s faster than some of our players …” a smiling Gibbons said.

Cohen wrote a handwritten letter to Gibbons and the Jays back in spring training asking if she could run the bases.

The day finally came Saturday, with Cohen, splendid in a Jays’ jersey and a pink feather boa, more than ready for the moment.

A native of Toronto, Cohen had practiced her running routine at her nursing home.

“I’m overjoyed that Mr. Gibbons allowed me to come onto the field and have a lovely day (running) the bases. I’m so happy to have done it,” Cohen said.

Gibbons, at first, had to steer Cohen around first; there was no first base bag on the infield at the time and Cohen eagerly advanced down into right field a bit before Gibbons got her back on course.

Cohen picked up steam after that and Gibbons was trailing most of the way toward home plate.

A bystander noted: “we’re gonna have to get some oxygen … for Gibby.”

For Cohen, the chance to get out and enjoy the bases, baseball, stadium, and the exercise, was an extension of her approach to life.

“I hope that everyone who gets old get out of their chairs and walks, and kicks, and dances, and shakes,” she said.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Read more about: