As a youngster you develop tastes for things. Some tastes could be for music, movies and sports. I had all three. I was a Beatles fan even before I entered Kindergarten. I loved all kinds of movies. But the one thing that I really fantasized about was being a baseball player. Baseball was my sport. My Jones. I was a slightly above average ballplayer. If I was able to put more time and effort to it, I might have been able to make something of myself. But I didn't or couldn't. So, it never happened. But...
I got to meet a few ballplayers.
One night I went with my dad to night school at Newark College of Engineering where he was working toward an Engineering degree. After class, we jumped into the car, but didn't go straight home. We went across the GW bridge into the Bronx to Yankee Stadium. The game was over but we hung out for a few minutes on the other side of the fence where the players parked. Walking up to his car was first baseman and centerfielder, Joe Pepitone. He was 15 feet from me separated by a chain link fence. I was maybe eight years old. We said, "Hey, Joe!" He replied, "Hey!" He got in his car and drove away. I was starstruck. That was my first brush with baseball greatness. He'll probably never make the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, but I have met those who have.
I was working in Trenton, New Jersey. Philadelphia Phillies third base great, Michael Jack Schmidt, "Schmitty" stopped by our company. Mike was purchasing one of our products. And for an appearance fee-product exchange, he signed autographs and posed for pictures with the employees. I didn't do any of that as I was a Mets fan, but I gave him a nod and a wave as he passed through our offices on his way to the factory floor where the real show was. This happened about the time he was getting ready to retire. Also, before he made the Hall of Fame. My first Hall of Famer.
For a while in the 1990s I hung out with a baseball card shop owner. I was into trading cards. I have long since gotten rid of all I had accumulated over the years. I had at one time was trying to build a 1966 Topps set. I got part way there, but some of the cards were way too rare and expensive for me to ever complete that set. Mickey Mantle, who is my childhood baseball hero, was the most expensive card in that set. I did not have a Mick card. However, hanging with this dealer, we went to card signings and I got to meet a few Phillies. Living outside Philadelphia, what would you expect.
I met:
Garry Maddox
Mike Lieberthal
Tyler Green
On my own, I met Greg "The Bull" Luzinski. He's the proprietor of Bull's BBQ at Citizen's Bank Park. A few years later, I met Boog Powell from the Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore, where he is the proprietor of a BBQ concession. I wonder if all ballparks have a BBQ concession owned by a former teammate?
Now I did meet, sort of, Daryl Strawberry at a Mets-Yankees game at Citifield the year that park opened. He was in a suit and tie and was sitting with a couple of broadcasters being interviewed. He was about five feet away. I could have touched him, if I wanted to get arrested, that is.
I saw another former Phillies player doing the same sort of thing being interviewed at the park. I have a photograph of him, but can't remember his name. I didn't actually meet him, but was so close.
I guess my crowning meet and greet would be when I worked for this company in the Valley Forge area. The company was part owned by Mike Piazza's dad. I worked with one of Mike's brothers too. I got to meet Mike when he was still in the minors before the Dodgers called him up. I saw him once after he made it to the "Game." Now, there's the second Hall of Famer I have met.
The third and final Hall of Famer I have met, Tommy Lasorda. He's a little guy. Well to me. He's listed as 5'10", but he seemed shorter. Again, I met him at the same company where I met Mike Piazza. Tommy was a lifelong friend of the Piazza family. He quipped to me when I told him that I unfortunately was not a Dodger fan but a Met fan, "Why do you think God made the sky Dodger blue?" His way of saying: You've got to be a Dodgers fan. It's divine destiny or something like that. I'm paraphrasing and interpreting here.
I may have never been a professional ballplayer (or any ballplayer beyond little league), but I have been lucky enough to have met a few. And maybe before it's too late, I can meet some more. I would have loved to have met the Bambino, Scooter, the Yankee Clipper, the Franchise and the Mick.
Unfortunately, I was born too late and some of them did not live long enough. Ah, well. There's always the memories that are captured on celluloid. I could always revisit Cooperstown where the Baseball Hall of Fame resides. Now, that would be something!
Until next time, TTFN. And Play Ball!!!
I got to meet a few ballplayers.
One night I went with my dad to night school at Newark College of Engineering where he was working toward an Engineering degree. After class, we jumped into the car, but didn't go straight home. We went across the GW bridge into the Bronx to Yankee Stadium. The game was over but we hung out for a few minutes on the other side of the fence where the players parked. Walking up to his car was first baseman and centerfielder, Joe Pepitone. He was 15 feet from me separated by a chain link fence. I was maybe eight years old. We said, "Hey, Joe!" He replied, "Hey!" He got in his car and drove away. I was starstruck. That was my first brush with baseball greatness. He'll probably never make the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, but I have met those who have.
I was working in Trenton, New Jersey. Philadelphia Phillies third base great, Michael Jack Schmidt, "Schmitty" stopped by our company. Mike was purchasing one of our products. And for an appearance fee-product exchange, he signed autographs and posed for pictures with the employees. I didn't do any of that as I was a Mets fan, but I gave him a nod and a wave as he passed through our offices on his way to the factory floor where the real show was. This happened about the time he was getting ready to retire. Also, before he made the Hall of Fame. My first Hall of Famer.
For a while in the 1990s I hung out with a baseball card shop owner. I was into trading cards. I have long since gotten rid of all I had accumulated over the years. I had at one time was trying to build a 1966 Topps set. I got part way there, but some of the cards were way too rare and expensive for me to ever complete that set. Mickey Mantle, who is my childhood baseball hero, was the most expensive card in that set. I did not have a Mick card. However, hanging with this dealer, we went to card signings and I got to meet a few Phillies. Living outside Philadelphia, what would you expect.
I met:
Garry Maddox
Mike Lieberthal
Tyler Green
On my own, I met Greg "The Bull" Luzinski. He's the proprietor of Bull's BBQ at Citizen's Bank Park. A few years later, I met Boog Powell from the Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore, where he is the proprietor of a BBQ concession. I wonder if all ballparks have a BBQ concession owned by a former teammate?
Now I did meet, sort of, Daryl Strawberry at a Mets-Yankees game at Citifield the year that park opened. He was in a suit and tie and was sitting with a couple of broadcasters being interviewed. He was about five feet away. I could have touched him, if I wanted to get arrested, that is.
I saw another former Phillies player doing the same sort of thing being interviewed at the park. I have a photograph of him, but can't remember his name. I didn't actually meet him, but was so close.
I guess my crowning meet and greet would be when I worked for this company in the Valley Forge area. The company was part owned by Mike Piazza's dad. I worked with one of Mike's brothers too. I got to meet Mike when he was still in the minors before the Dodgers called him up. I saw him once after he made it to the "Game." Now, there's the second Hall of Famer I have met.
The third and final Hall of Famer I have met, Tommy Lasorda. He's a little guy. Well to me. He's listed as 5'10", but he seemed shorter. Again, I met him at the same company where I met Mike Piazza. Tommy was a lifelong friend of the Piazza family. He quipped to me when I told him that I unfortunately was not a Dodger fan but a Met fan, "Why do you think God made the sky Dodger blue?" His way of saying: You've got to be a Dodgers fan. It's divine destiny or something like that. I'm paraphrasing and interpreting here.
Unfortunately, I was born too late and some of them did not live long enough. Ah, well. There's always the memories that are captured on celluloid. I could always revisit Cooperstown where the Baseball Hall of Fame resides. Now, that would be something!
Until next time, TTFN. And Play Ball!!!
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