Life, love and the meaning of baseball...

If you have not noticed, I as a "baseball blog writer" I like to write not only about the game but things I remember growing up watching the game. As you all know I grew up an Astros fan cheering on the "Killer B's" but these days I am more of a fan of just the game for many reasons. Reasons I will not nor can I write about on this blog at this time. SO I thought today I would write about "Life, love and the meaning of baseball" I know an odd title for a "baseball blog" but just hang on and keep reading and then take a trip down memory lane with me.

As I wrote about it my previous blog http://back2backe.blogspot.com/2010/04/there-are-more-important-things-in-life.html I met Craig Biggio his 1st Big League game but what I did not share was my story of meeting Jeff Bagwell, so this is where the title "Life, love and the meaning of baseball" come in.

This story has 2 parts, 1 me meeting Bagsy and the 2nd is saying "Goodbye" to Larry Andersen, which is really where the story begins.

As I stated in the my previous blog I was in Larry's arms quite often which really seemed like ALWAYS when I was at the Astrodome, and this really truly starts the story. Alright lets go down memory lane.

August 30, 1990 was a day in my mind that stands out for 2 reasons 1. I HATED it and 2 I LOVED it. Now on this day I did what I liked doing best going to the Dome! I mean I was pumped, I was ready to go at it with my "boy's" but this day was going to be different and it was.

August 30, 1990 started out like any day for my family. Dad was at work about to come home so he could get mom (who was getting a bag ready for me) and me, so that dad, mom and myself could go to the Dome. Dad comes home, mom has my bag packed dad picks me up and off we go, in the mean time a player by the name of Larry Andersen is being told he will no longer be playing in Houston. This player is told he was traded to the Red Sox for a 3rd baseman (now I know what you are thinking "But Bags played 1st." Just hang on and continue to read) who is playing AA ball for the Sox. This player is sad and upset, maybe even hurt with the 'Stros for making this trade because the Sox needed and I do mean NEEDED pitchers, so there was nothing that could be done, except make the trade.

In the mean time of this player being told he is traded my family is driving to the Astrodome, me starting up a "Take me out to the ballgame" daddy was singing along. Back to the player. As he is cleaning out his locker he told one of the security guards "Pass this along to all the people guarding the gates, I already told the people in the office this before they make the "official" announcement, but I am telling you as well. When the Santana family gets here I NEED to speak to them! Tell everyone before batting practice to let them in! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" the guard agreed for whatever reason. In the meantime of this player saying this my families drive to the Dome is completed, dad goes and gets tickets, with mom and I waiting at the gate.

The next thing I know we are being let into the Dome before everyone! Little did I know what was going on but I knew then something was wrong. I see Larry or as I used to call him when I was little "Lawwy" and call his name he looks right at me in regular clothes with a faint smile on his face and says "Hey babygirl" I said "Lawwy what wrong? You sad?" "Yes babygirl, I am I have to tell you something that will make you sad too." "Oh no I not be sad, I be ok, what is it?" "I was traded today to the Red Sox" my dad then says "Oh wow! Why?" Larry "They told me (pointing to the upstairs offices) the Sox need pitching" me (trying to figure it all out still) "You been traded you not be my Astro anymore?" Larry "Nope, I wanted to tell you before I had to leave and catch my plane." my dad "Thanks, she might not understand it all yet but she does love ya." Larry "I know and I love her too. me (now in tears) "Lawwy, ...who... you... traded...for?" Larry "Babygirl don't cry it will be ok. You like the Red Sox now right? Because I am one." (nodding my head as tears still fall he goes on) "I was traded for a guy in AA by the name of Jeff Bagwell" me "Jeff Bagwell. Jeff Bagwell! I DONT LIKE HIM!" that was that and all Larry did was laugh, gave me a hug and kiss and "Goodbye" was done.

I have to add a side note I DID NOT like Bagsy his Rookie year in fact every time he was at bat I "booed" him! I know bad Astros fan award there! LOL

Now we move up to a day (date in which I STILL can not remember) after going to a basketball tourney for my school, my dad and some of the kids who made honors (It was a small private school) went to see the Rockets play the Celtics (2 teams to this day when basketball season is around I STILL cheer for!) a few min in the 2nd go by and I say to my dad "Daddy, I'm hungry!" my dad nods and says "Yeah me too baby. Nathan you want to go get food with me and Steph?" (Nate is one of my "big brothers") Nate agrees and off we go to stand in a concession stand line that looks like will NEVER end. Me, daddy and Nate are talking about the game unfolding and as I am looking around I happen to look up and see the back of this guys head, to some just a regular guy with dark brown curly hair, in jeans and a Celtics jersey. But to me he was and is so much more then that!

As I am trying to figure out WHERE I knew that head from, dad and Nate kept on talking, and then it hit! OF COURSE I KNEW THAT GUYS HEAD! IT WAS JEFF BAGWELL! How could I have not realized that? What was wrong with me not knowing that right away? Still don't know! Moving on, the next thing I did was tell my daddy, and this is how it went. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" "What baby?" "Come here daddy!" "Baby I AM right here." "No daddy come down here, I need to tell ya somethin' " "What is it baby" "That man right there, (dad's nodding his head now FINALLY eye-level to me) THATS JEFF BAGWELL!" "No baby. I promise you THAT man is NOT Jeff Bagwell" the argument went on for a few more min. until Bagsy turned around looked at my dad, me and Nate and said, "Did someone say my name? (looking right at me he then said) "Was it you?" I just smiled and nodded politely and saying "Yes sir it was!"

The next thing I know my daddy pulled a HUGE funny. (Daddy did you HONESTLY think I would tell this story without this part? If so you should know better! HAHAHA!) This is what he did, he looks right at Bagsy and says "Hi (extending his hand) YOUR JEFF BAGWELL!" Bagsy smiles nods and says "Yes I am and you are?" my dad realizing how silly and funny that was, introduces the clan to Bagsy and then they started talking about the game. (Another side note here my dad has big hands but when Bagsy shook my fathers hand Bagsy's swallowed my dads hand.) Finally I said "Mr. Bagwell." Bagsy looked at me in shock and said "Yes sweetie, what is it?" "I need to apologize to you." "For what? Why?" I then began to tell Bagsy the story of Larry and how I had booed him his Rookie year, with my eyes on my shoes my Bagsy looked at me after laughing for what seemed like hours, though it was just min. and during the laughter said "I'm hahahah so hahahaha sorry hahahaha go hahahaha on!" he then got serious and said "Well Stephanie, do you like me now?" I shook my head no and said "NO BAGGY I LOVE YA!" that was it, he then picked me up and gave me a big ole bear hug! After we FINALLY were able to get food, we said a "thanks" and "goodbye" to Bagsy and parted just before doing so my dad said to Bagsy "Whatever you do don't forget our last name!" Bagsy smiled and said "Don't worry I wont!"

Years later after I hit my teenage years I went to an Astros fan fest the year after my beloved Bagsy hung up his jersey for good, and I had the opportunity to meet him again. I then told him a story of being a 6 year old girl who met him and got a bear hug from him. He said "No I'm sorry I don't remember but it is a good story. I am glad to have made you happy, wait a second. What is your last name?" I told him and with that same Bagsy smile I had come to know for so many years heard "Yeah I remember it! I was in my Celtics jersey! Yeah I remember it now!" (I did not add what he was wearing, he just remembered) and that is that. SO now you know why I named this post "Life, love and the meaning of baseball" and if not it was because I shared a moment in "Life" with Jeff Bagwell, and in return he showed me "love and the meaning of baseball" the meaning of what ballplayers really are "Hero's" in disguise, even at a Rockets/Celtics game!

I hope you enjoyed those thoughts, and until next time. Peace. Love. Baseball!