This is a post that originally ran in 2010, and again in 2011. I feel a need to share it tonight. Below is an edit of the 2011 version.
Over the winter I really started psycho-analyzing just how much this blog is really about my childhood. Why am I dragging around my son to Mets games, writing articles about Lee Mazzilli, and why did I spend $100 on a retro Mitchell & Ness jacket. Is this really about yearning to get back to say 1980 when the old man was still around, we’d go to games, and I’d wear that blue Mets jacket that I’ve posted on here a few times (the one my mom wears now.)
So…since the blog is always picking up new readers…here’s the tale of the time Tom Seaver struck me out, last posted in 2010.
Two years ago I got to meet Tom Seaver as an adult. I hate being “that guy” so I wasn’t going to walk up to him and say “I really liked you on the Mets” which I’m sure he has heard before.
I ask Tom, “Crazy question. I remember that when I was like 4 you gave me a ’46 Cardinals baseball out of your locker at Shea. Does that make any sense? A groundskeeper named Richie hooked it up…”
That last part genuinely perked Tom’s ears. Cool, Tom Seaver was actually interested in my story!
Tom asked me to back up and tell him it again.
“Oh, Richie, sure!” He remembered Richie, my father’s cousin.
So here’s the story as 4 or 5 year old me remembers it.
We head out to Shea Stadium in the afternoon. I’m young enough to think it’s cool but not old enough to totally appreciate the awesomeness that is about to unfold.
We meet Tom Seaver on the field. Someone grabs a wiffle bat and some sort of ball and suddenly Tom Seaver is “pitching” to me and – no kidding, why would I make this up – Jerry Grote is catching.
So so awesome.
My young brain can’t remember much about the day and of course NOBODY TOOK ANY PICTURES but I always have had this autographed ’46 Cardinals baseball.
So I ask Tom, who believes the pitching happened, why the heck he would have a ’46 Cardinals ball in his locker to give to me.
(More mysteries for my late father – how about you know a Tom Seaver ball? or a PICTURE?)
Tom told me it was entirely possible because when he started out he would collect autographs from his heroes and how he was always in awe to be on the field with those guys.
The Franchise starts telling me about the first time he went to “Sandy’s house” (I didn’t ask Sandy’s last name but I’ll take one guess) and how amazing it was to him. (2011 note – that’s how I wrote this last year, funny how times change. He meant Sandy Koufax. 2020 note – and not Sandy Alderson)
And right there I realize that Tom is relating my story to being in the presence of greatness with his own story of being in the presence of greatness.
For three minutes Tom and I connected. Very very cool.
I guess it’s stuff like this that explains why I write about the Mets five times a day.
Dad and Richie are long gone…thanks for hooking this one up fellas…and I’m glad I got to tell Tom about it.
