[Fuddjcal]

In the early 1970's, I would go to Dodger Stadium every Sunday that they were in town with my grand-pa. His brother had Season Tix on the field and it was too hot on Sunday afternoon for him. It was 1971 (I was 10) and sitting directly next to me is this old man baking in the sun in a old sports coat that looked like a horse blanket.

My grand-pa whispered" That's Casey Stengel". Who the hell is Casey Stengel I thought, but I could see in my Grand-pa's eyes, this was someone special. I got to talk to him through out the game and he loved it that my real name was Charles, like his. He took my program and wrote... To Chuck from Casey Stengel and "To Charles from Charles Casey Stengel, Good luck". He just scribbled on it everywhere. I couldn't believe all the fuss and fans coming to get his autograph. He never took a break in the 90-100 degree heat and we didn't leave until the very end. I was hooked! I loved that old guy! My grand-pa filled me in on the details and of course I read everything I could about him afterwards.

While I cherished that program, it somehow was misplaced or stolen. I have every other damned program and ticket stub, but the story and memories are part of what cemented me as a baseball fan and are memories I hold sacred and cherish to this day.

Here is my collection of the "Old Perfessor" (I love how he spelled it) Thanks for bringing back that special memory of me and my grand-pa today. I needed a good cry.