I didn't want to hijack the other thread and so, thought I'd start this one for people to comment on who they have met via this great game.
First, although I have never met them in person, I have communicated with PGStaff, MNMom, TRHit,TPM, via email, pms, or phone calls. Though I won't mention the exact circumstance some of these fine people supported me as a moderator here during some very rough times. There are several other members here that I have built relationships with over the years. I coached against and am friends with Bulldog19.
Before I go much further, I'd like to mention Donny Buster. While I communicated with him via this website and another, the world is not a better place since we have lost him.
In my career, I was so blessed to get to coach with some of the top HS coaches in the history of my state. (Illinois) I have coached with or against so many who are now in the state's Hall of Fame. From up north in our state, I always considered Frank Ganser to be a top notch coach and a heck of a good guy.
I was asked to go to the former Soviet Union in 1988. I coached there for a few weeks and so, met the Lithuanian National Team. After spending time coaching them and then returning to the U.S., I learned that after I left, the won the first Soviet Baseball Championship. I get a little angry about a SI article about the first baseball team that went to the Soviet Union because I was there with my team a full 4 months before that team went. Then I realized that we were there to coach/build a program and they were there to tour and play.
Due to coaching baseball, I have had access to the St. Louis Cardinals that few could match. When the new Busch Stadium was built, only one baseball team was allowed to host a HS game the first year. I was selected to host that game and asked a buddy to bring his team. I have so many pictures of my daughter with Cardinal players on the field, in the dugout, in the area below the stadium ... I was able to golf with a couple as well. Some of those guys are tremendous golfers.
I met Frank Howard in an airport with one of my teams. He walked by and spoke to the boys but they didn't know who he was and he didn't introduce himself. He simply stopped and talked baseball with them. It was so neat to see this. Eventually, I went up and told the boys who they were talking to. Mr. Howard was so humble. I will never forget his kindness. For sure, he gained a lot of fans on that day.
Well, this is a start. Hey, how about some name dropping.
Edited to add:
Since I am an old timer here and I miss that label, I wanted to mention that I was able to watch BigHit15's son play. That was pretty neat and he sure had a lot of talent. I saw him pitch on a very hot night and he did well. Somewhere on my old computer I have pictures of his son from that night.
