Note: This is another in a series of posts from the "unfinished" heap, originally intended for publication on March 8, 2006. I have retained my odd writing style from that period to make my thought seem more seamless. A thousand pardons for the not-so-new content as I figure out this blog's direction. Thanks again for reading. – ES
on Sunday, [March 5, 2006,] one of my very favorite baseball players was felled by a massive stroke. the next evening, after compulsively checking the Star Tribune and ESPN for updates all day, I found out that Kirby Puckett had finally passed from us without ever regaining conciousness. I couldn't believe it; things like this aren't supposed to happen to your heroes.
in 2000, I worked at an Audio King in Edina's Centennial Lakes Plaza. Kirby was a frequent customer, and one fall Sunday afternoon I visited the store just as he was finalizing the purchase of a bedroom television. I was there with my family, and he looked over and recognized my dad from some work he had done on one of Kirby's vehicles. we all walked over to him where he was standing with his son and daughter, and my dad shook his hand and said hi. he then introduced my sister, my brothers and I and Kirby introduced his kids to us. the only problem: my mom was standing a bit behind us kids and my dad failed to introduce her to him, which she has never let him forget to this day.
the reason I bring this anecdote up is to show what kind of guy Kirby was in my interactions with him. I ran into him a few more times in my two years at that store, and though he didn't recognize me all the time, he always had a smile on his face and joked around with everyone around him. and this is what I will choose to remember about him as I go forward in my life. we all have things in our lives that we have done and regret, but we shouldn't let those things define us. Kirby Puckett was a shining example of this. while the final years of his life were controversial, he did a lot of good for the community and remains one of the premier role models of a sport that seems to have lost its way.
RIP, Puck. don't forget to touch 'em all up there.
Labels: bestof, local, personal, twins
