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Last Night I Met a Baseball Great

BURLINGTON, N.C. — I noticed the guy behind me wore a Boston Red Sox cap. The concession line was long. Maybe the longest line I’ve seen at Burlington Athletic Stadium. But I’ve only been coming here 20 years. The stadium opened in 1960.

"What do you think about this [Burlington] Royals team," I asked him. "Oh, thar terrible. But thar rookies, ya know." His accent was Boston, too.

"The prices are good, though," I commented.

"Yeah, hell, my ‘ole seat costs $55 bucks now."

"In Fenway?" He looked surprised at my question. "Yeah, my whole life. I only go wonst a year now."

"I grew up in Michigan pulling for the Tigers," I said.

"I went to a Tigers game once. When they wuz in the World Series," he said.

"1984?"

"Naw, 1968. Who was that Tigers right fielder…I can see his face but cannt remember ‘is name."

"I wasn’t around in 1968." I felt sheepish, like I should know. Then, I did. Not because I ever studied Tigers history or baseball history. But a third-generation Tigers fan, though now far removed, just knows. "Al Kaline."

Before I made it to the window, we’d made it all the way through the 1984 World Series: Kirk Gibson, Lance Parrish, Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker, Jack Morris…

"They couldn’t a won it without that left-handed pitcher that nobody could hit."

"Willie Hernandez."

It was my turn at the concession window. I never got the man’s name. But he’s one of baseball’s true greats. And he was here in Burlington last night.

Tonight the Burlington Royals lost again, taking their record to 0-6 and a solid lock on last place in the Appalachian League. Tomorrow is $1 night — $1 to get in, $1 peanuts and $1 hot dogs. Hopefully the lines will be long again, too.


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