Sunday was an emotional day. It was a chance to see one of my
heroes, Goose Gossage, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, near my
hometown in Cooperstown, New York.
I texted Editor-In-Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack that the rain would hopefully hold off and it thankfully did. The only sad news was that my camera battery died. A new friend, John, is supposed to send me his. Until then, words will have to suffice.
My sister got some great tickets for my 12 year old nephew,
Elijah, and me. (It's partial closure for not giving me the Lakers at
Celtics ticket for the 1986 NBA Finals.)
Elijah and I traded stories about baseball players we have met. I
met A-Rod and he met the late, great Buck O'Neal. He has Rollie
Fingers' and Harmon Killerbrew's autographs. I met Gary Carter
and Dave Winfield and have their autographs. I guess meeting legends runs in the
family.
I am really grateful to Elijah for saving my baseball cards from the Flood of 2006 in Upstate New
York. I don't have any kids so Elijah is the closest thing I
have to a son.
There was a record 56 out of 64 living Hall of Famers in
attendance. The first voice on ESPN, George Grande, introduced each
one to the cheers of the crowd. Dallas Green correctly remarked that
there should be no games on this weekend as we should honor the past
legends like Yogi, Bob Feller, Reggie Jackson, Ralph Kiner, and on on.
Given that it's been 100 years since the last Cubs World Series
victory, Ernie Banks asked for reinstatement. Bud Selig unfortunately
said that he can't do it to the boos of the crowd. "We want a new
commissioner!" a lady behind me yells.
I got choked up when they did the roll call for Bobby Murcer, Tim
Russert, and Phil Rizzuto. It's a day for grown men to cry because
"it's a perfect game played by imperfect men" as Bruce Sutter's dad
would say.
There were so many great moments like the Buck O'Neal Lifetime
Achievement Award. No one will ever forget him as a bronze statue will
greet everyone at the entrance to the Hall of Fame. He dedicated over 70 of
his 94 years to baseball. Society owes him an immense gratitude for
being "right on time".
The voice of the Mariners, Dave "My Oh My" Niehaus, was the Ford
Frick inductee. I can see why many Mariners fans came to see him. He
has an infectious enthusiasm and his words tell the story better in the
"enclosed green field of the mind."
"Those are real baseball
cards back there," pointing to all the inductees behind him. Niehaus
took us on a journey from his boyhood Indiana home to Seattle and back
in the blink of an eye through his broadcasting work for the Armed
Forces Network, the Yankees, and even LA Lakers basketball games. It's
like you were drinking lemonade and listening to the game on the radio
on his parents' porch.
Larry Whiteside was honored by his son
for growing "The Black List" of African American journalists from 9 to
90. He was the African American writer to have a vote on the Writer's
Committee.
Get up and stretch! Stan "The Man" Musial usually plays his
harmonica. But, he couldn't make it this year. Johnny Bench stepped
in and did a great Harry Carey impersonation. Ernie Banks joined him
to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".
Pirates owner Barney
Dreyfus was Veterans Committee Selection for help starting the World
Series. He was inducted by his great grandson Andrew. Andrew did a
great job even though his great grandfather died 32 years before he was
born. Barney was reunited with other Pirates Honus Wagner, Ralph
Kiner, Bill Mazerski, and Goose Gossage.
Bowie Kuhn was honored to be a "next scoreboard boy" as a kid at
Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC. But, he became much more
than that. He was commissioner through 15 turbulent years. His
adopted son, Paul Gegener, articulated how special his dad was. Paul
was adopted after his father was killed in a car accident. Paul
answered Bowie's critics. Bowie was the vanguard of the game against
gambling and other lurid interests that besmirched the "spirituality"
of the game. George was speaking to Commissioner Selig seated next to the podium and to all of us.
He linked to the current class, especially Goose Gossage, who was
the last major leaguer he spoke with before Bowie died. His dad
always "tried to do the right thing and be fair."
The crowd howled when Commissioner Selig presented George with the
plaque. "How does it feel to be near a real commissioner?" a man to my
right shouted.
"Bud, you'll never get one of those plaques!" another man shouted.
I couldn't see the rest of the speeches because I had to catch the last bus back to
the City for work. I was glad I spent the day with Elijah. We
made several great memories that I'll remember forever. I hope to
enjoy future ones as well, God Willing. If Elijah's Little League team
wins their next tournament, they get to burn their manager's Boston Red
Sox hat. That's enough incentive for me to get reinstated in Little
League with or without Commissioner Selig's permission.
Posted by an emotional Tank at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, New York.
P.S. Elijah called me today and said he was able to get Goose's
autograph on a baseball. The "perfect game" is in good hands of the
next generation.