As a child my heart was broken when the Washington Senators
moved to Texas to become the Rangers. However the everlasting
memory of the beautiful game lays in the 1969 All-Star Game.
The game was played at R.F.K. Stadium in Washington D.C..
I was a naïve, shy 13 year old boy who’s great joy was when
my buddy Joey Morris Dad took us to a game; Sitting up
in the upper deck, eating hot dogs and putting that special mustard
on them ( Gulden’s ) – this was a high end mustard at the time.
1969 game became my holy grail of baseball experience.
On the way to the game there was a severe thunderstorm
resulting in the game being played the next day.
After the game me, my mother and Joey headed to the clubhouse
entrance to get autographs and on the way there the first person I see walking towards
me is Hall of Fame Pitcher Sandy Koufax doing radio announcing for the game.
Then there was Hall of Fame outfielder Mickey Mantle doing television
announcer duties. If you get the drift every other player I met is a Hall of Famer
for a young, black urban kid this was ultimate joy. Remember the previous year
both Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy had been assassinated.
So let me rattle off some names of autographs I got:
Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Carl Yazstrzemki, Willie McCovey ( games MVP ),
Ernie Banks, Rod Carew, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Frank Howard,
Orioles players: Boog Powell, Frank Robinson, Paul Blair and Brooks Robinson,
Bob Gibson, and finally my favorite Roberto Clemente ( my cheered nickname
while playing baseball for my high school ).
Ps: When my mother would tell me to clean my room – I generally
Piled the mess into my closet. Mom cleaned out the closet autographed
program and all. I’m not mad at you mom. I can still see in my mind
the smiles of Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and other players.
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