[Writehooks]

For 15 years I had the pleasure of working for the same newspaper (Edmonton Sun) as Wes Covington. Although we worked on different floors — I was a sportswriter and he was an ad salesman — every time we ran into each other he always had time to go for coffee or meet in the lunchroom for a half-hour's worth of reminiscing and story-telling. And on the rare occasions when he wore his World Series ring, it never failed to draw a small crowd. One spring afternoon in the mid-'80s, when Wes was doing PR work on the side for the Pacific Coast League's Edmonton Trappers, he showed up at work accompanied by Reggie Jackson and a couple of other California Angels who were in town for an exhibition game with the Trappers. Even "Mr. October" was enthralled when Wes started spinning his tales. Good times!