Want to send a fiver out.

[Hokie]

1985 Yankees Stadium...
My mother is a Special Ed teacher and used to bring her class to a Yankees game every year. One of her students was a huuuuuge fan - he was always yelling at the Outfielders. At the end of the game Ricky Henderson came over talked to the kids and gave the one doing all the yelling his cap. The kid FLIPPED.
I wonder if Ricky Henderson knows what an impact he had on the special ed class that year.

[Deuce Da Masta]

Originally Posted by Hokie

1985 Yankees Stadium...
My mother is a Special Ed teacher and used to bring her class to a Yankees game every year. One of her students was a huuuuuge fan - he was always yelling at the Outfielders. At the end of the game Ricky Henderson came over talked to the kids and gave the one doing all the yelling his cap. The kid FLIPPED.
I wonder if Ricky Henderson knows what an impact he had on the special ed class that year.

You just dont see that with pro athletes now a days. A lot of them are just too consumed with themselves to take a minute to realize the fans are the reason they can make a living playing a game we all played as children! Barry Bonds is a prime example of this. I heard hes a real POS when it comes to taking a minute to sign a few things for kids...

[hayward_tenney]

My favorite team are the Phightin' Phils. I've always loved all Philly teams, but baseball has a special place in my heart.

When I was 9 years old, my Mom and uncle told me and my younger brother we were going to the old Naval yard to look at some old boats. That sounded cool enough, but they said to bring along our gloves as well, just in case we stopped for an impromptu game of catch.

Imagine our surprise when we showed up at the Vet for an afternoon game vs. the Dodgers! We didn't catch any foul balls that day, but that was my first game, and it has always stayed with me.

Someday I look forward to rounding up my brother and our sons for a "trip to the Naval yard...but bring your glove, just in case!" Mine is 6 months old, and his is due in July - so we've got a few years.

My favorite player all-time has to be Mike Schmidt, not just because he was an unbelievable athlete, but because he was a true class-act. Philadelphia never had a better sports hero IMO, and they broke the mold when the made him.

[WarHorse-cl]

Well, as I was a kid a long, long time ago....we didn't have a professional team in Florida so I grew up a Red Sox fan. I've never been to Boston, so I believe it was the uniform we wore in T-Ball (looked like a Red Sox uniform) that first caught my eye. As I grew older, I think it was the Curse of the Bambino that kept me rooting for them every year. Kind of the mystic that captured me and kept me following them year after year, even after we picked up pro teams in FL.

As for favorite player....Johnny Bench by a mile. As a kid, my dad coached me in baseball from TBall all the way to the American Legion league. No one ever wanted to play catcher, including me, or was bat blind and would blink when the batter swung (causing them to miss catching the pitch). As my dad was the coach, he always made me catch (I always wanted to play the Hot Box (3rd base)) which I hated, until he sat me down one day and we watched an entire Reds game. He gave me a complete commentary on Baseball defense with most comments on how the catcher controls the whole team.(Kind of a Baseball Quarterback). After that, I never complained about catching again....and followed Johnny all the way to his selection in the Hall of Fame. [Plus, as an added bonus, Johnny is coming out with his own Whiskey http://www.johnnybench.com/main.php ....how cool is that)

As a runner up, I would put Pete Rose, but I got hurt every time I tried the head first slide. I never quite did it like Pete....not to mention the gambling thing.

[aracos-cl]

Oakland A's...

It was the first Pro game I ever went to. My Dad was stationed in Monterey Cali, and we drove up for the A's game one weekend. My favorite player was pitching that game, the one and only Catfish Hunter ... He pitched a no hitter to boot... We would make the trip up several times a season for the next few years to see them play, Catfish, Rollie Fingers, and Vida Blue... The A's won the title that first year, unfortunately Catfish left for the hated Yankees after that 1st year I went... Still loved Catfish, just hated the Yankees... So I was left with Vida Blue & Doc Medich to root for on the A's, who took a nose-dive from there on... Been, for the most part except for the few bright years of 88 - 89(world series champs) & 90, a suffering A's fan ever since...

[stlcards]

Mine's the Cardinals (go figure), favorite player was Ozzie Smith. Arguably the best short stop ever in baseball. I used to love to go to the old Busch Stadium as a kid and watch the games. Win or lose it didn't matter as long as Ozzie would do his back flips. That would always make us smile.

[MetallibamA]

I was born and raised in Alabama, but unlike most folk around here, I am not a Braves fan. I am a die hard St. Louis Cardinals fan, and it's a pretty neat story.

When I was probably ten or so, I found a really old pocket AM radio (Which I still have...very sentimental value) in some of my Dad's stuff. It had been his, given to him by his Mom.

The only station I could really pick up at night was KMOX out of St. Louis, which carried all the Redbird games...I started listening to them, and then started to pull for them and I've been a Cardinals fan ever since. NO ONE could call a baseball game on the radio like Jack Buck. No One. I can still remember hearing him call the balls and strikes, and how I enjoyed the ambience of the fans and the ballpark noise in the background, and how I wished I could be there watching. That radio hooked me on my love of baseball. When we got our minor league franchise in Huntsville, I spent every night I could at the ballpark...sure it was minor league, but there's just something about a ballpark. I also got to see some superstars in person: Caseco, McGwire (Imagine how happy I was when he went to St. Louis) and Jason Giambi came through Huntsville, to name a few. I even got to meet Michael Jordan when he was with the Barons.

But, even in Huntsville, I always had on my ever present Cardinals hat.

I've stuck with my Redbirds ever since, and make it to Atlanta whenever they are in town, and try to get up to St.L (Great town, btw) at least every couple of years...I can't wait to see the new ballpark. That little radio is also why I'm a longsuffering Blues fan (NHL) as well.

My all time favorite player from the Redbirds...hmmmmm, tough call, but the obvious choice: Ozzie Smith. A pure wizard with the glove, and a dang nice guy.

Thanks for this thread...it brought back some really good memories. I think I'll fire up my little radio and see if I can listen to the Redbirds on the patio with a nice smoke tonight...

Reg

[stlcards]

Great story Reg, Jack was the man. I remember his funeral like it was yesterday. You have to come see the new stadium, it's very nice.

[MetallibamA]

Originally Posted by stlcards

Great story Reg, Jack was the man. I remember his funeral like it was yesterday. You have to come see the new stadium, it's very nice.

I plan to as soon as work and funds allow. I like to come late in the NHL season (Like if the Blues ever make it to the playoffs again) and catch both teams...the pics of the stadium just look awesome.

Reg

[stlcards]

Just let me know if you're ever coming and I can probably get some Cards tickets.

[Fatmandu]

THE New York METS! Ya gotta believe!! favorite player is way too tuff to call, there have been many who have impacted basball and played great in NY. SEAVER, RYAN, Bud Harrelson, Tommie Agee, thru the Miracle Mets to the '86 CHAMPIONSHIP and now. Favorite story, Tug McGraw..who BTW coined the motto, YA GOTTA BELIEVE, when asked if he prefers turf over grass, his reply was.."I dunno, hadn't ever smoked turf". had the opportunity to sit in a parking lot near Shea for Game #6..you kno..the dribbler down the 1st base line vs. BoSox...what a party in NY that night! I go to Atl each year when the Mets come to town, spend the weekend and way too mu$h $$, but always a great weekend. Last year when Ricky Henderson was a Mets base coach, he continued to do the same thing with/for the kids, took the time to visit. A real Class act.
On an aside, my HS baseball playing son and I 'were' heading to the HOF in Cooperstown this summer, but he was recently selected to attend an Acadamy in FLA..a solid 0600-2200 hrs baseball camp run by former pros and coaches, so we're working on that. Cooperstown b4 I die!

[Ecto1]

This is turning into a great thread. Have not seen what I am looking for yet so keep em coming.

[Fatmandu]

Duty uni in HOTLANTA

[mhlatke]

1970's era Yankee's.

I used to go to a half-dozen games a year to cheer on Roy White, Lou Pinella, Mickey Rivers, Reggie Jackson, Chris Chambliss and my number one player of all-time, #15 - THURMAN MUNSON! He was the man!

Baseball pretty much died for me in the summer of 1979 when lost his life in a plane crash (as the pilot) - have hardly watched at all since.

[eggwhites]

My favorite team would have to be the Atlanta Braves... the past 6 years of my life my mom and I go to spring training games for some bonding time. In the earlier years we were autograph hunters and got there early to chat with the players and see if they would sign a ball or a program or something. One day we got to the stadium about 3 hours in advance and were the first people to get into the stadium. We made a mad dash for the dugout seats, but before we could get there we noticed something special. Everyones favorite hot-tempered manager, Bobby Cox was sitting in the 3rd row smoking a cigar. Surprisingly we were the only people to notice him. So we went over and took a seat next to him and starting chatting it up. After a few minutes he autographed a bat I had with me, shook my hand and headed down to the field. Definitely one of my favorite memories. If I was at home (no need for it at college) I would post some pictures of the bat, its pretty funny because he started signing his name, stopped, scribbled over it and started again. You can always count on Bobby for a good laugh.


Favorite player... John Smoltz *He's a great guy, always willing to talk to the fans and help out the community*