The day I met “The Wizard”
So, after my last post you are probably wondering when exactly I gave up on my dream to become a bus driver.
To be honest with you, I never even remember aspiring to be one, but I’m guessing it was one of many fleeting dreams (like wanting to be a fighter pilot after seeing Top Gun for the umpteenth time). They all were passing fancies though, because for most of my childhood all I wanted to do is be groomed to take over for Ozzie Smith at shortstop whenever he decided to retire from the Cardinals. Fortunately for Royce Clayton, I never could hit that curveball.
The latest find in my office clean up/archaelogy dig is the above picture, circa 1986(?) or so. That’s me on the right (rocking my Cardinals uni), with The Wizard himself in the middle and then Cardinals’ manager Whitey Herzog taking it all in on the left side of the frame. Thanks to Whitey’s obsession with Bass Pro Shops’ boats, we used to get some pretty nice treatment when we went to Busch, including this remarkable day when it seemed like they paraded the whole team by us so I could meet them (including a particularly odd encounter with the always interesting Willie McGee). One of those days you just don’t forget…
As we gain distance from the somewhat awkward end to Ozzie’s career in St. Louis, we’re left only with the good memories, including one of the greatest moments in Cardinals’ history, when he ended game 5 of the 1985 NLCS with a (rare for Ozzie) home run. Jack Buck’s call is a classic, I defy you to listen to it sans goosebumps.
Go crazy folks…
Quite a little walk down memory lane. I have to say it — you were so cute…..MOM
Comment left on January 3rd, 2007 at 8:45 am LinkGreat story. This is my first visit to the new blog. It looks good, although I hope you have set up reminders for regular updates! I am also doing all of this from my Blackberry….possibly the greatest invention in history, even pushing aside the IPod. Hope to hear from you soon.
Comment left on January 3rd, 2007 at 11:12 am LinkI remember that day like it was yesterday! AND YES, I remember the quote from Whitey, “I’ll get Willie McGee over here but I’ll probably have to sign the damn autograph for him”! That was a great day at the stadium. Who won the game that day? Who cares! It’s what happened before the game that made the memory! Long live the Wizard! By the way, my one trip to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown was the year that the Wizard was inducted. Pretty neat!
Comment left on January 3rd, 2007 at 11:35 am LinkDad