You just never know…
It was the summer of 1989 and my buds Jim Magnuson, Erick Osterbauer and I descended onto the Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN for the first game of a series where the Twins were playing host to the Texas Rangers. This was standard practice for us, about to be juniors in high school, we would frequent the dome as often as we could especially now that Jim had that coveted driver’s license. Little did I know…that this would be the game that resonated with me for decades to follow.
See in the old days and after the games the dome was autograph friendly for any and all to get get up close and personal. You knew that the Twins studs would file out of the Vikings ticket area doors and after you scored signatures from the likes of Kent Hrbek, Franky V and the late (great) Kirby Puckett you still had time to run to the loading dock to campaign for the visiting team’s autographs. Now the Texas Rangers were full of stars and potential stars at every turn. Their roster was a dream team in the making. Of course there I was Mr. B-Ball card maniac and had a binder of ALL of the Rangers players cards at the ready for the Sharpie to be put to use. Julio Franco, Rueben Sierra, Rafy Palmeiro, Harold Baines, Pete Incaviglia, and even an up-and-comer named Sammy Sosa… a kid’s dream scenario. The table was set as we got there just in time. Players left and right, happy to sign whatever we put in front of them. Now they did this because we became experts at the chase. We knew how to get to the loading dock, we knew the lot attendants by first name and sure, we were just kids but we managed to get down there in the mix after every game we attended. I remember it like it was yesterday…the excitement inside the three of us along with only two others that made their way to the dock with us.
The players came and went. Most signed, some didn’t, regardless we were in heaven as we sat there sifting through our treasures that came in the form of autographs. I/we scored every single autograph except for Sosa and Bobby Witt…oh, and one other, one I didn’t have a card for, one I didn’t have a baseball for…the one that would leave a lasting impression on me for over 25 years.
As we sat there on the loading dock reveling in the awards the players provided us we just sat there, hanging out…as it turns out, for a reason. The visitor’s bus had already left to journey over to the team hotel with all of the Rangers in tow. All, except one.
Literally hours after the game there we were…teams were gone, concession workers left, even the security teams were heading home for the night…I recall one of them saying it would be best for us to head home…that nobody was left inside for us. I’m sure we agreed and were about to head to the lot where our car was the lone car in the entire area but that’s when that something happened. Something so special it affects me to this day. The revolving doors started to spin in the now dimly lit turnstile of the Metrodome loading dock entrance. From that revolving door emerged a man carrying a leather briefcase and wearing a cowboy hat. Time literally stood still as we sat there entranced at who was walking directly at us. “evenin boys” this stranger called out literally walking up to us and now standing in front of us…”holy shit, you’re Nolan Ryan” Oster said with disbelief in his voice. After all of the teams, management, dome workforce had left there was probably the greatest pitcher to ever play the game talking to us. I remember being enamored and in complete shock. He sat there talking to us for 15 minutes as even the security lights were timed out and shut down. We talked and talked and that’s it. He said he had to get to the hotel to “check in with the Mrs.” we searched for anything ANYTHING for the ace to sign…not one of us had his card…he was new to the Rangers in ’89, so what do I do? I pull out a $1 bill…he giggled and willingly signed away. He handed back the dollar and i asked to shake his hand. He was holding his briefcase in his right hand at the moment and as I reached out to shake and noticed the case I asked “Mr. Ryan can I please shake your throwing hand?” he switched hands and shook away. We exchanged the final pleasantries and he was on his way and we sat there watching him disappear into the dark.
I remember this like it happened yesterday. Now, I understand that if you were to ask Nolan Ryan if he remembered that evening he would not. But for the three of us along with the two others that we never got their names, we will remember it for a lifetime.
You NEVER know who you are influencing when you do what you do. You may never come to realize the kind of imprint you left on another’s memory. Just remember the possibility to change lives is present on a daily basis. There are other memorable baseball moments that are engrained in my mind. Moments long-forgotten by the players but moments shared that change the way I look at things to this day…one in particular;
The tip of the cap of Darryl Strawberry and the wave given to us by Pete Rose as they shagged balls during hitting practice at the 1985 All Star Game — Homerun Derby. They must have gotten sick of hearing my pops scream “Hey Strawberry!! Hey Rose!!” at the top of his lungs about a dozen times in a row. He didn’t scream for him he yelled out in hopes they’d turn and pay the slightest attention to the five little kids standing in front of him peering over the railing in complete awe of the first row in right field, high above the garbage bag that was the right field wall extension. He succeeded and to this day I say the Straw-man tipped the hat because his biggest fan there that night was sporting the same Mets ball cap. Thanks for that dad!
I hope the day comes where you look up and see one of the greatest pitchers to put on a uniform walking towards you. It was a vision…promise.
