It was just more than a third of the way through the second half of last Saturday's game in Columbus when Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena made his third and final substitution in sending on Eddie Lewis for Todd Dunivant in the 62nd minute. Mike Magee turned to teammate Chris Klein sitting next to him on the Los Angeles bench and quietly told him, "Congratulations."
Klein smiled and then it dawned on him: his MLS record for consecutive games played was over.
The 33-year-old Klein had played in 141 games in a row before failing to get on to the field in the 2-0 loss to the Crew. The longest active consecutive games streak now belongs to Kansas City Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, who has played in 107 games in a row.
Klein, who earlier this season had his MLS record of consecutive starts snapped at 118 in a 1-1 tie at San Jose on April 18, was able to reflect on his accomplishment after Saturday's game when numerous teammates came up to him and offered their kind words. Klein is looking back on his achievement even more this week as the Galaxy continues preparations for Friday's critical game with the Chicago Fire at The Home Depot Center.
"I'm proud of it," said Klein, who came into MLS with Kansas City in 1998 and was acquired by the Galaxy in exchange for Robbie Findley and Nathan Sturgis on June 21, 2007. He has played in 77 games for Los Angeles, including 60 starts, and has two goals and 10 assists. "(The streak) is not something I thought about every game or every day, but to sit back and think of it I am proud to be part of that many games in a row.
"To stay healthy that many games in a row, to be chosen by the coach for 141 games in a row ... it came to an end and I'm disappointed, but it's part of it. It's something that I'm sure when I'm finished a few years down the road I'll look back on and talk about."
Landon Donovan, now in his fifth season in Los Angeles, said Klein sets an ideal example for others to follow. He attributed some of Klein's durability to genetics and "being lucky," but he also said Klein's preparation is what really makes a difference.
"Chris is a very good pro," Donovan said, "and he does the right things every day to get ready to train. A lot of guys don't, and they get injured. We can learn a lot from that. I've certainly learned a lot from him, and I think other guys do, too."
Eddie Lewis said Klein's feat is nothing short of "incredible."
"It probably didn't get quite as much attention as it probably deserved," Lewis said. "He's a great athlete, and he does a very professional job of taking care of himself and working hard every day in training.
"For everything he puts into it, to still be physically fit and never break down and avoiding injuries, it's ust an incredible streak."
Klein attributed his good fortune to a number of factors, but one of them isn't luck. He said he doesn't believe in that sort of thing.
"I never have," he said. "I thank God I've been able to stay healthy for this long. I think that's the biggest part of it. For me, everything extends from that, from my faith. The way I prepare and the way I approach life as a professional I think is a big reason I've been able to stay healthy and effective for this long.
"I hope to keep it going, too. The fire still burns inside of me as bright as it ever has, so I'm looking forward to the last three games and then trying to win a championship here."
Larry Morgan is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
