That would be Dick Fitzgerald.
Not to be confused with the Edmund Fitzgerald, which is a big part of where Rey is currently employed.
Edmund Fitzgerald
Dick turned 80 years young last week.
He is one of the regular pitchers on Carl’s 55 and over baseball team.
Tonight, to honor probably the best 80 year old pitcher in the country, Dick got to throw out the first pitch at the Mariner game. [The next pitcher to take the mound after Dick got it warmed up was Felix Hernandez.] And his catcher was not a Mariner, but his regular catcher – Ken Combs (a youngster at 73).
Dick pitching to Ken
Here is my somewhat shakey video of tonight’s festivities.
Here is a much better description, by a local news station a few years ago.
Dick got as high as AAA a few years ago, and was actually called up to the big leagues, only to have the pitcher he was to replace decide he did not need to go onto the disabled list after all. So close. But had that happened we would not have the happy circumstance of being able to play with this wonderful person. For a better biography (brief) – click here.
The Mariners lost. Surprise, surprise. Except that IT WAS FELIX. Hernandez that is.
But it was a great time. Several current, past, teammates and opponents were on hand. It was like the six degrees of separation from Mr. Fitzgerald. Great fun!
June 23, 2015 at 4:02 pm |
He does NOT look 80 at all! He looks younger than I do.