Braun carries love of mom, aura of N.Y. spotlight

NEW YORK — Ryan Braun climbed up the steps of the National League dugout, walked onto the grass, stopped, and looked around at one of the most beautiful sights he has witnessed.

So, this was Yankee Stadium, the historic ballpark Braun has always known, but until Monday had never seen.

"This is unbelievable," says Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder and National League All-Star starter. "This is so cool. There's just a vibe about this place. There's so much energy.

"There's very few places that have this type of atmosphere."

Braun, 24, who learned this spring the All-Star Game would be played in the final season at Yankee Stadium, soon made it his mission to be an All-Star. He did his part, hitting .290 with a team-leading 23 homers and 66 RBI. He then let his family and fans do the rest, voting him to the game.

"I can't tell you how many thousands of times I voted," says his mother, Diane Braun, "but I never stopped. When I wasn't working, I was voting."

Diane, who actually works as a brewer at Anheuser-Busch in the Los Angeles area, made sure everyone joined in the effort. There was company-wide e-mail encouraging everyone to vote for her son. Relatives voted across the country.

"I had everyone but my poor dead mom voting," says Diane, who personally built a batting cage for her son in high school. "It paid off."

When Braun heard the news he made the All-Star team, he sent a simple three-word text message to Diane informing her of the news:

"We did it."

The effort paved Braun's road to the Bronx and this week's proceedings, three days he won't soon forget.

Long delay
Braun and fellow All-Stars Ben Sheets and Corey Hart sat on the runway for about three hours Sunday in Milwaukee waiting for clearance to leave. Their private plane finally took off, but once it reached the Philadelphia area, they were caught in a holding pattern before finally landing after about a six-hour journey.

They reached their Manhattan hotel at about 11:30 p.m. ET. Diane, part of the 15-member family contingent in town to watch Braun, kissed her son hello when he walked into the door. Braun handed her his All-Star tickets, and said she was in charge.

"Mom, this might be the last time I even get to see you," says Braun, who plans to stay in New York an extra day just to relax. "It's going to be so hectic."

Braun dropped his bags off. He then took his girlfriend, Andreena Clark, and brother, Steve, 23, to Tao restaurant. They got back to the hotel about 3 a.m. and slept. Braun didn't wake up until seven hours later; room service began his day.

Braun went downstairs to the hotel lobby at noon for the home-run derby press conference. He laughed at questions asking if he really wanted to participate. You kidding? This is what he dreamed of since high school.

"I remember Ryan was watching the Home Run Derby one summer," Diane Braun says, "and said, 'I want to be in there. One day, I'm going to be in that Home Run Derby. You'll see, Mom.' "

That's Braun. Always confident. He not only believed he would be in the big leagues one day, but become a star.

"I've always been extremely confident in my abilities," says Braun, who was in the minor leagues just 14 months ago, "and always believed I would get to this level. And now that I'm here, nothing could be better.

"There's no bigger accomplishment for a baseball player than to be an All-Star in the Major Leagues."

Embraces faith
Braun turned out to be quite popular at the National League press conference session, particularly after Jewish All-Stars Kevin Youkilis and Ian Kinsler said they wanted to meet Braun. Braun, however, said he actually is half-Jewish. His father was born in Tel Aviv, but his mother is Catholic.

"I didn't grow up celebrating the holidays or anything," Braun says, "but it's something I certainly embrace."

Braun, who had his agent, Nez Balelo, pitch to him during the Home Run Derby, knows that tonight will be the most magical night of his baseball career. He hopes to pick the brain of NL teammates Albert Pujols and Chipper Jones in the clubhouse. He wants to talk to as many Hall of Famers as possible. And he is not about to leave town until he visits Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.

"I want to do it all," says Braun, who plans to stay in New York an extra day for sightseeing. "And at the same time, I don't want it to ever end.

"Believe me, this is something I'll remember forever."

(usatoday.com)