Stealing Fame
Part Two of the Most Unlikely Journey to Fame Ever Undertaken
I would occasionally hear the drunk dude and his buddy taunting me, but they were much farther away now, so it didn’t bother me too much. I was enjoying a great game, and the unbelievable view right into the Reds dugout. Right there the likes of Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, Tony Perez, Chico Cardenas, Pete Rose and the rest were all moving about. These baseball gods were chewing tobacco, yelling at the umpires, horse-playing with each other, while I was so close I could reach out and touch them. Yes, I was in baseball heaven, alright! Why ruin this?
As I sat there, players came and went to the water cooler, but I had no intention of trying to steal a hat. No sir. But the idea of that drunk razzing me after the game, as I made my way up the aisle past him, empty-handed began to gnaw at me a bit, messing with my enjoyment of this great game.
I began to ponder how I might actually do the deed. I’d have to be quick, with lightning reflexes — just reach over that railing, while the player’s bent over at the cooler, grab that hat, and run like the wind up that aisle! I started to believe I could actually do it.
I began to warm up to the idea, but still didn’t expect I’d really do it. I really was a chicken, truth be told, and I knew it. But, that drunk didn’t need to know it.
I will never fully understand what happened next, it happened so fast. A player was right there, bent over at the water cooler. Reflexes must have taken over. I watched, in equal parts thrill and horror, as my hand reached over that railing, grabbed that player’s hat, but my “lightning” reflexes were no match for a major league ballplayer’s! The next thing I knew, before I got my hand back over the railing with his hat, he had a major league vice grip hold of my wrist. I was freaking right out!
Somehow, I wriggled free of his grip, and with every nerve I could muster, I pivoted and launched my little body up those aisle stairs two at a time, my hair was on fire, I was simply crazed with fear! The guy and his buddy saw the whole thing and were rolling out, pointing at me and laughing, but I was running for my young life, imagining that the player was coming right behind me. My little heart was beating a mile a second as I hauled up those steps, really beside myself for wrecking such a great seat and game. It felt like life and death to me, and in that moment, I wasn’t sure which way it would go!
I kept running until I reached the concourse area, where luckily that green No Admittance Door was unlocked! I quickly ducked into my secret tunnel, and finally slumped down on the steps inside the door, completely out of breath. I just started bawling, as scared as I had ever been. I’d never done anything like that before! Later on, I would come to know that feeling as “a rush”. It was quite a rush, for sure!
As I slowly caught my breath and began to settle down, I felt something bulky inside my shirt, and only then did I realize — “I GOT THE HAT! OH MY GOD, I have a major league player’s HAT!!!”
I held that hat up to the dim light in that tunnel to examine it. It was dirty and full of major league sweat, with the red C on the gray woolen cap, with red pinstripes cascading down from the red button in the center of the top, and a red brim.
And it smelled! Oh God, did it smell great! I began examining the hat. I noticed some writing on the inside band. I couldn’t quite make it out, so held it a little bit closer to the light, where I could finally see what it said — “#14 — Rose” was hand-written in black on the band.
I nearly lost my breath for the excitement I felt in that moment. “I have PETE ROSE’s HAT!” Outside of the Pirates’ Roberto Clemente, who I absolutely worshiped, Pete was one of my favorites. He was nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” because he always ran down to first base when he was walked. He made you feel like, if he could be a major league ballplayer, I could grow up to be one! He didn’t seem all that skilled, as far as major leaguers went — he just hustled harder than anyone else, and made himself into a great player by force of will.
And, I had his hat! I remember thinking, “This might be my first step towards greatness. If I could steal Pete Rose’s hat, maybe, just maybe, like him, I could make myself into a great ballplayer, through sheer force of will, and wind up in baseball’s Hall of Fame one day!” I was a big league dreamer, but that was one dream that…wait, I don’t want to spoil the end of the story, so I won’t go there, yet. Let’s take a 7th inning stretch, and come back for the final two innings of my favorite story.
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That’s the end of Part Two. Somebody’s singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”. Go ahead and Stretch…Breathe…have some peanuts and cracker jacks, then stay tuned for a story of loss, redemption, glory and finally, fame — all rolled into the next two parts/innings. “Play Ball!”
