Life is full of disappointments, and the Gustavus, Ohio, native who says he never leaves a game early — even spring training ones he attends with his wife — resigned himself to disappointment once again.

But Houser received a text from his cousin around 3 a.m. “What a game!” it read.

He looked up the box score and immediately went to YouTube, where he watched Jhonkensy Noel launch a game-tying home run and David Fry win with a walk-off, two-run blast in extra innings.

“The crowd was like all the home runs in the series – just amazing,” Houser said in a text message to cleveland.com.

It reminded him of the best and loudest home run celebration in a game he attended in July 1995. Albert Belle hit a game-winning home run off Lee Smith in the ninth inning. Smith was one of the best closers in baseball at the time.

“The horns were blowing all the time until we got to Route 90,” Houser recalls. “Forty-three thousand fans make a lot of noise. I know you remember that game. The best and loudest.”

Loudest until Thursday evening, when Noel and Fry woke up all of Northeast Ohio together. Everyone except those who turned off the lights early to avoid a disappointment that never materialized.

Guardians fans explain the early departure

Cleveland.com’s Guardians Subtext subscribers were among the fans who either left the park early to avoid traffic after Judge and Stanton homered, or turned off their TVs, like Virgil, because they couldn’t bear the suffering any longer.

Below are some responses we collected from them after a great night at the ballpark.

Okay, only if you don’t use names, my husband and I did! We die swearing each other to secrecy to say we stayed. Luckily we live in (a nearby neighborhood of Cleveland that shall remain unnamed here) and we saw Fry’s walking away. – Name redacted, Cleveland, OH

The two Guardians fans near me who more or less gave up (probably partly because our section was packed with Yankee fans) were within range and returned to their seats after the first home run. I didn’t say anything to them, but they were clearly happy to be back. We were drowning in Yankees fans all night. There were two people from Buffalo and then an older man with someone between us in the front row. The couple had left several times, perhaps because of the fans. People got very angry or happy after the Yanks’ two home runs and I almost got into a fight because the Cleveland fans in the next section were so fed up with the fans in my section. I had enough of it too, but it wasn’t worth diving into. The Buffalo man yelled at two Cleveland fans that it was “okay to be losers.” I could have kicked him. We were all so excited when Fry hit the home run. So many high fives and much joy, the Yankees fans were finally quiet. –Sue, Lyndhurst, OH

I had to run to the drugstore, so I caught the Big Christmas HR on the radio with my husband Tom Hamilton. Then I was back home for the 10th inning and of course I was watching the exploits of David Fry on TV. It was pretty epic and classic Hammy, but Lane Thomas’ at-bat was really the catalyst as he trailed 0-2 before filling the count and delivering the two-out double. Hammy actually seemed surprised when Noel came on deck during the Thomas at-bat, given his 1 for 16 postseason and homerless drought. – Michael, Eastlake, OH

I didn’t leave, but I did go from section 554 to section 111 because people were leaving. Then enjoyed the afterparty at the Thirty Parrot. What an evening!!! – Mark, Cleveland, Ohio

No, never again! I had my two sons with me last night and we had to leave early as we played the Rays in 2022 and missed the Gonzalez HR. My youngest had a flag football playoff game that day. My sons still bring that up! – Anonymous, Cleveland, OH

I turned off the TV and missed Noel’s recording. When I heard it was stuck my jaw dropped, I turned it back on and watched the rest of the game. Must be top 5 for me! –Kevin, Springfield, MO

I watched the game with my wife in a bar and in my hometown and we left when it was 5-3. When we got home, I just saw Noel’s home run in my house. My reaction jumped across my living room. – Mel, Owens Mills, MD

I’ve seen it on TV. I definitely saw a lot of people heading for the exit after the double play in the ninth. I don’t blame them. Wonder how far they’ve come, and if they bounced back when Lane Thomas hit the double? –John, Pittsburgh, PA

Being in South Carolina, I couldn’t walk out of the ballpark, but I did walk away from the TV in the bottom of the ninth after the second out. But there was one guy on base, so I got a cup of coffee and said, well, maybe. Then came Big Christmas and the rest is history!!!! Then in the 10th inning I said again, “Could it be possible… can David really do it?” And then he did it!!!! –Hank, Myrtle Beach, SC

I turned off the TV when we were down to one out in the ninth. Thank goodness my wife – who is not a baseball fan – almost casually mentioned that the game was tied. What! I need to see the best defensive play, plus Fry’s dinger. – Anonymous, Chicago, Illinois

What a game! I’m brave enough to admit that I had little confidence that they could come back against the hulking Yankees. But I learned a wonderful lesson from this group of ruthless warriors! –John, New Brockton, AL

I almost turned it off, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was watching on TV, but had Hammy on the radio. I was very glad I hadn’t stopped listening. –Robert, Columbus, Ohio