Best & Worst Experience Meeting An Athlete

[oldjudge]

In the early-1990s I took my older son to a show in Central Connecticut. When we got there I found that Whitey Ford was signing. When we entered the room there was literally no one near Whitey. He was sitting alone at a table looking bored. We walked over and I started a conversation with him. He was great. He told us a story of his time as a spring training pitching coach working with Al Leiter. Apparently Al was having difficulty throwing first pitch strikes. To help him along Ford made a bet with him—every time he threw a first pitch strike in a pre-season game Ford owed him a beer. A first pitch ball meant he owed Ford a beer. We chatted for about ten minutes. I think my son got his autograph (I did not, but I’m sorry I didn’t), but I’m not positive of it. All I remember is that the greatest starting pitcher in Yankee history was a real gentleman.