[Oldtix]

Back in the summer of '67, my dad took me to St. Louis to see the Cardinals play a night game against the Giants and Juan Marichal. I was unaware that Dad and my Uncle Jack (a long-time Nebraska sportscaster) had arranged a little surprise for me.

We got to our seats during batting practice. Following prearranged instructions, Dad took me down to the railing near the Cardinal dugout and told an usher my name and that I had been sent here by Jack. The usher relayed the message to someone in the dugout. To my utter amazement, Bob Gibson popped out of the dugout and walked right over to me. He shook my hand and introduced himself (like I didn't know who HE was!). Gibson was very friendly and told me he'd heard I was a good third baseman. I have absolutely no idea what...if anything...I said to him. He said he had a present for me, and handed me a Tim McCarver bat and an autographed team ball.

As if that wasn't enough...I caught an Orlando Cepeda foul ball that night. It seems my Uncle Jack did a daily radio show with Gibson in Omaha (Gibson's hometown) during the offseason. What a day!