Hot Corner Has Been

Baseball Stories Every Day in The Newspaper

errolllevant — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:33:38 +0000

I was out of the country for a few days in the middle of this month. When I got home I realized one of the reasons I love late February so much. It is because baseball has started!

When I opened the newspaper this morning to the sports section, I found a whole page filled with stories about what’s happening at the Astros’ spring training camp. In the wintertime there are so many days without even a mention of baseball in the newspaper that it always gladdens my heart be able to open and read about the game and the players in the hopes for the season.

Why My Girls Are Baseball Fans, Part 2

errolllevant — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:08:41 +0000

The same season Jimmy Wynn climbed on the dugout to talk with my firstborn, (see previous post for that story), I was coaching a summer league team of 13-15 year olds. One night I took four of them, along with my family to a game at the Astrodome.

Before the game my daughter wanted to go down to the rail of the fence near right field to talk to Jimmy Wynn. The boys knew my family, but it is not particularly cool for teenage boys to hang around with four year old girls, so only one of them was willing to accompany her to the rail. The others kept their cool distance.

Jimmy did come over to the rail to greet my daughter. A crowd quickly formed, seeking autographs and proximity to the Toy Cannon, as Wynn was known. The usher for the section came down to break up the crowd, but Jimmy pointed to Stacey and said, “This is my friend.” So the crowd was shooed away, leaving only Stace and the one teenage ballplayer who had gone with her. He suddenly felt very important!

As the end of the game approached, my daughter again wanted to go down to say good night to Jimmy as he ran off the field. This time when she went to the rail, she had FOUR teenage escorts!

Why My Daughters Are Baseball Fans

errolllevant — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 06:11:12 +0000

Our first daughter was born in December, 1967. She could only have been 3 to 4 months old when she attended her first Astros game in the Dome. My sister worked as an usher, wearing the space girl costumes required. She could get us in for the cheap seats for free if we would arrive early. Early is my middle name, so we went frequently to the games. We sat in the stands and made acquaintance with some of the ballplayers. It was especially fun when my daughter got old enough to call out the players’ names and ask them to come see her.
By the time she was three she was a personal friend of Jimmy Wynn. Wynn was one of the best sluggers in the game in those days, despite being only about 5’7″. They called him the Toy Cannon. My little girl would call out to him when we arrived and he would often stop and come greet her or introduce her to some of his friends. She has a ball autographed by Hank Aaron and Phil Neikro, two of Wynn’s friends, and now in the Hall of Fame!
I think she may have been 4 the time I won tickets at work as a safety prize. They were front row, right behind the ‘Stros dugout. My daughter saw one of the coaches standing in the dugout and called out to him that she wanted to see Jimmy Wynn. Soon after the team started warming up in front of the dugout. The coach, named Hub Kittle, appeared out of the dugout, handed Jimmy a new baseball and pointed in our direction.
Wynn came over, climbed on top of the dugout and sat down to speak to Stacey! He inscribed the ball for her, “To the world’s Greatest, Most Beautiful Girl, Jimmy Wynn.” She has it to this day. And I was there a couple of years ago when she got to introduce her kids to Jimmy. It was sweet for a Dad to see the family tradition and the love of the game being transmitted to the next generation.
There is more to this story, so tune in again soon on most of these same stations!

Who Will Win the World Series?

errolllevant — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:26:21 +0000

Last year’s World Series was much more exciting to me, as a long time Astros fan. I was privileged to attend the first ever World Series game played in Houston. And despite the fact that the White Sox came from behind to defeat the Astros and Roy Oswalt in that game, it was one of my favorite ever to attend!

This year I thought that because of the way the Tigers stumbled into the playoffs they would be no problem for the Yankees. Their youth and lack of playoff experience was going to do them in. But I should have known better.

Everyone knows the old adage that “Good pitching beats good hitting.” The reason that everyone knows the adage is; it is true. And the Tigers have the arms to win the World Series. There are five guys on that staff that throw 97 mph or more. If they throw strikes, it should be a short Series and dancin’ in the streets of Detroit!

And that is okay with me. As a fan of the Astros, I usually pull for the National League representative to the Series. But this year that would mean I have to either pull for Carlos Beltran or Preston Wilson to win a ring, and I don’t want either one to get one. Sorry Billy Wagner!

Hello world!

errolllevant — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:13:59 +0000

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