Regular readers of this blog may remember that I have shared before how a good portion of my misspent youth (when I should have been in school) was consumed with my dream of becoming a major league baseball umpire. Obviously, I never achieved this dream, as God had other plans for me. But I had a lot of fun umpiring, and I had the opportunity to have a lot of great experiences. I spent three years working full-time on the umpiring staff of three different independent minor leagues.
In 1994 I was in the Frontier League, which at that time had five teams in Ohio, and one each in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
In 1995, I worked in the now-defunct Texas-Louisiana League, which in addition to the states in its name, had teams in Pueblo, Colorado and Mobile, Alabama.
But the highlight of my short-lived pro baseball career was the 1996 season, which I spent on the staff of the Northern League. At that time, it was an eight-team league that played in Madison, Wisconsin; Duluth, Minnesota; Thunder Bay, Ontario; Winnepeg, Manitoba; Fargo, North Dakota; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Sioux City, Iowa.
But the flagship franchise of the Northern League in 1996 was the St. Paul (Minnesota) Saints. One of the teams owners, and its general manager, was Mike Veeck, son of baseball hall-of-famer Bill Veeck. You may remember Bill Veeck as the flamboyant owner of the Chicago White Sox, who was known for such craziness as promotions like Disco Demolition Night, which led to the last forfieted game in the American League, and for sending his team onto the field in shorts during one season.
Mike Veeck inherited his father’s flair for promotion, and games at Midway Stadium in St. Paul were always an event. From St. Patrick’s Day promotions where the Saint’s uniforms (and the bases) were green, to nuns in the stands giving backrubs for a donation to their convent, there was always something unexpected happening at the ballpark. During one game, both managers were ejected, and they came back out on the field between innings dressed in giant sumo suits and wrestled. Daryl Strawberry and Jack Morris played for the Saints during the 1996 season. There was never a dull moment.
One night, my partners and I came out of the tunnel onto the field to begin the game, and discovered that comedian and actor Bill Murray, who was another of the team’s partial owners, was on the mound, throwing out the first pitch. After an exaggerated wind-up that seemed to take several minutes, he rared back and heaved the ball into the stands, to the delight of the 5,500 or so in attendance. As he was coming off the field, he had to walk directly past us. Ever the showman, he approached my partner at the other end of our line (there were three of us). He shook hands warmly with both my partners, playing to the crowd, and then stopped and stared theatrically at me, backing up a step and hesitating for maximum effect before charging like an angry mother bear and scooping me up in a giant hug. I was a bit flustered, not having expected to be, um, handled like this, but the crowd loved it, as he trotted off the field to wild applause.
The next day, the photo that accompanies this post was on the front page of the sports section of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Last week, my wife was helping my grandmother go through some old things she had in storage, and they came across this photo, which I thought was lost to history. So I thought I would share this fun memory, and invite you in the comments to share your fun stories of brushes with celebrity.
on Dec 18th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
Fun! Though you really should have made this one an “add a caption” post. … then again, maybe not!
I’ve never met anyone famous.
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on Dec 18th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Very cool. You and Bill Murray. Are you a liberal?
I worked with a guy that had been an ump in the majors, and wanted to try his hand as a stock broker. He was really nice, and had even umped in the AAA All Star Game, and World Series. He even had the ring. He had great stories about all the major leaguers, and some of his exploits in the world of baseball. It was fun listening to him.
Needless to say, he didn’t last very long in the brokerage business. He missed the smell of the grass and calling the game, and went back to it the following year.
Brushes with greatness? I got a big bear hug from Elly Mae Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies (she was in her 50s by then, but still looked great), and spent a few minutes one evening hanging out with Doc Severinsen of the Tonight Show. Two years ago I got to have dinner with one of my all time heroes, singer-songwriter David Wilcox. And once I was at a music festival, and was chatting with a guy, when an old man came up and started talking to us. I had no idea who it was until he left, but it was Pete Seeger. I was one step away from Dylan, Woodie Guthrie, and a ton of American musical heritage.
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on Dec 18th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
Wes,
I was in Aspen with my youth group a back in 1995. We were in the Planet Hollywood and in walked in Craig James (SMU, NE Patriots, ESPN, CBS and now ABC). I had on my Alabama hat and I nodded to him. We were all waiting to get a seat and he was with his family so I wasn’t going to bother him.
Next thing I know Craig starts talking to me asking about the Tide. He told me he almost went to Bama but he knew Coach Bear Bryant was about to retire. We talked about 20 min. What a great guy. I always liked him before but he won a fan forever that day.
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on Dec 18th, 2006 at 5:58 pm
Brushes with fame?…
Once I came THIS CLOSE to spending an entire day with Wes Kenney.
Great post; great photo; great look on that guy’s face on the right!
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on Dec 18th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
I gave Paul Newman a Road & Track magazine once. I’d spotted him in the (then) new Delta Terminal at Laguardia and he got on the same Atlanta flight I was on.
I’d stowed a package in the back of the plane so I had to wait until the plane emptied when we got to Atlanta so I could go back and get it. I’d bought the magazine in the terminal and read it on the plane, so as he filed out past me, I gave it to him.
Now, he was a road racer of some note at that time, and the magazine had commented that he’d be a top-notch driver, except for his age. When I handed him the magazine I said “Here … they gave you a left-handed compliment”. He said “Left handed?” and I replied “Yeh .. they said you were good but old”
I don’t think he liked it. At least he hasn’t written or called me since.
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on Dec 18th, 2006 at 9:24 pm
Brother Wes,
The closest I have come to a famous person is the night I ate in a Mexican Resturant in Orlando Florida. I was waitingto get a seat and in walks Jeremy Green and Bart Barber. Can you imagine my excitement when they asked me to join them at the table? Oh, and then there was that time in Greensboro NC when Les Puryear saw me and asked if I would join him for lunch. When you are in the presence of such greatness it is hard to speak. I sat nearly speechless in their presence. :>)
Seriously, I can only imagine how you feel when someone like that does something as unexpected as you describe.
Blessings,
Tim
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on Dec 18th, 2006 at 9:49 pm
Oh, so you’re THAT Wes Kenney?!?!?! I had no idea . . . .
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on Dec 18th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
The only time that Tim Rogers has been speechless was in the dentist chair.
Wes, you look just like yourself.
Les
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on Dec 18th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
I sat beside “The Snake,” old Kenny Stabler himself at an airport once. He was one skinny dude.
Other than that, I did meet Jerry Clower at a rodeo when I was a kid. None of the Ledbetters could make it.
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on Dec 19th, 2006 at 11:46 am
When I was in college, I attended a state Baptist Student Union retreat at a resort hotel. Also staying at the hotel were a number of tennis stars who were in the midst of a tournament. I got onto an elevator, and to my surprise Pete Sampras and his then girlfriend Kimberly Williams were both on the elevator–just the three of us. Pete tried to look away to avoid being recognized, but after a couple of seconds I couldn’t help myself and asked, “so, did you win today?” He just started chuckling; he’d been discovered. He very politely told me he had that day off, but would be competing again the next day. I wished him good luck, and we all got off the elevator. Kimberly never said a word (or smiled), but as she was soon dumped by her tennis star/beau, I assume it was because of Pete and not because of me.
I have also met several policians, not all of whom were Southern Baptist preachers.
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on Dec 19th, 2006 at 7:47 pm
I met George Steinbrenner when I preached the funeral of his high school track coach. Steinbrenner had kept in contact with him and went way out of his way during baseball season to come to the funeral. After all the hype, i thought he would be a snob, but he was a very kind man.
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on Dec 19th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Dear Brother Wes,
What a cool picture.
Everybody else,
Those are pretty sorry brush with fame stories. You guys need to get out more.
Merry Christmas
Jeff
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on Dec 20th, 2006 at 7:08 am
you’ve touched bill murray? i bet you never washed that uniform again. ever.
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