Today was Dad and Cami’s day at Twinsfest. Caden had basketball, bowling and had to get fit for his baseball uniform so he ran his errands with Amy which left Cami to go with me. I was a little apprehensive to bring Cami because when she had gone with me in the past, it was only on Sundays which was a shorter day. I asked her multiple times if she was up to it and was willing to spend all day there and her reply was “Dad, you know I am a party animal. I cannot wait!” So, a little later than normal we headed to the Dome. She was so excited. We got there and headed over to get Mauer and Morneau wristbands but they had already distributed all of them so we went to the floor and said hi to my buddy Rob who works for the Twins. We walked around a little and then decided to get in line for the “Second Shift” of the day and picked Tony Oliva and Dan Gladden’s line. We got up there while the previous line was still going so we waited along the wall with everyone else.
While waiting in line, my buddy Russ K called me that he was at the ballpark. He was going to wait in the line for Miguel Sano. He waited for a while and realized he did not have a chance before the line ended so he came up and said he would help me with whatever I needed. I have known Russ since college and he is always willing to help me out at Twinfest. Shane V is another one but he was unable to make it this year. These guys are AWESOME and help me a TON! Cami and I went through the Oliva/Gladden line. Cami got Gladden to autograph a card for Mark C and an Oliva card for Greg N. I got a photo signed by Gladden from the 1987 World Series with he and Greg Gagne and Kirby Puckett. He commented how he had not seen that photo in a long while. Last year Gladden was sitting with Kent Hrbek when I gave Hrbie an extra ticket I had from his Major League Debut game. I told Gladden that I did not have anything for him last year so I made sure to bring something this year and gave him an extra copy of the photo. He liked it. I brought along a yellow brick from Met Stadium and had Tony Oliva sign it. It turned out great!
We then went to the back of the line for Paul Molitor. Russ did not want Molitor on another baseball or anything so he helped me. I brought a brick from County Stadium to get signed. Cami asked if she could give it to him to sign and I told her she should get a card signed but she insisted on the brick. So, we got up there and Russ got me a baseball on the sweetspot and I got an upgrade to my 1997 Topps Highlight card and Cami handed him the brick. Paul asked her if she knew where it was from and she said “The Dome?”. He said “Nope! County Stadium!” He asked if I was going to get multiples on it and I said just him so he gave me a real nice large signature on it. It turned out great too! After carrying one brick last night and two today, my back and shoulder are killing me!
We then went to the back of the line to get ready for Rod Carew. While Russ, Cami and I were waiting for the Carew line to form, I knew I had to run down and help Joel B with getting Maury Wills’ autographs from the Bob Feller Museum booth. Russ offered to hold our spot in line while Cami and I went to help Joel. Joel and Cami and I headed over to the Feller area and I got in position to gather the items after Maury signed them so it was something Joel would not have to worry about. What happened during those five minutes or so was truly magical. Maury started talking to Cami and I like we were long lost friends. He asked her name and how old she was and what month she was born. When Cami said October, he said “I was an October baby too!” and gave a fistbump to her as they were both “Libras”. He said Libras meant they were really nice people and I interjected “and fast too!” which made him smile (he stole a TON of bases in his career). We talked about the 1965 World Series when he played against the Twins as well as him still living in the Los Angeles area. He even mentioned about the taxes and the comments that Phil Mickelson made recently about them. I told him that a lot of the players now days make their homes in Florida for just that reason. He shook his head in agreement. He then meticulously took his time signing three baseballs for me all with “LA Dodgers MVP NL ’62” (one for me, Russ and Jon S). I helped Joel with a few more baseballs as well as cards and magazines. When we were done, Maury said “Bye Cami!” and shook my hand. It was an awesome memory for both Cami and I. I got back up in line with Russ with about 15 minutes before Rod showed up. Rod must have been in a great mood as he sweetspotted my baseball without me asking. Russ and Cami each got a baseball card signed for me (1973 and 1975 Batting Leader cards). That leaves me with just ONE more Carew Topps card in a Twins uniform that I need signed! Of course it is his rookie card and that is a pretty spendy card. I do not have the card yet but hopefully someday soon so I can get it signed.
We all headed down to the floor again and this time decided to get something to eat. After eating hotdogs and brats, we decided to get in line at Station 2. Tyler Robertson signed a pair of cards for me and Cami’s baseball. Vance Worley signed a 2012 Topps Heritage for Jon S and a 2012 Allen & Ginter for Jon. He also signed Cami’s baseball.
Cami and I went to the other side of the tables to Station 1 while Russ watched the heavy bag I was carrying all weekend. Cami got Jared Burton, Alex Burnett and Drew Butera on her baseball. I got Burton on another 2012 Topps card. Burnett signed another 2012 Topps card and Butera signed a pair for me. He signed the Trevor Plouffe Topps cards that had him on it instead of Plouffe. I told him that last night Plouffe pointed it out to me that it was Butera and that he was glad because Butera is better looking than he was and Butera laughed and said “He’s too modest. He’s a good looking guy!” It was pretty funny. He liked the Topps Diamond insert card that I got signed for Jon S. I will see if I can get Plouffe to sign them both tomorrow and then have both guys on it!
We then hopped in line at Station 1. Joe Vavra signed Cami’s baseball and we mentioned to Bobby Cuellar that he signed it last night. We got to Tim Laudner and he said “Hi little princess!” to Cami and then asked if she was having fun. She said yes and he asked who her favorite Twin player was to which she replied “Josh Willingham” and he said “Ok!” and signed her baseball and told her to have fun. He signed my ticket stub from Game 2 of the 1987 World Series (he had a heck of a game!).
We then decided to head up to Station 5 and then head home but Cami noticed there was nobody in line at Station 2 so she bolted through it with her baseball and got Anthony Swarzak and Casey Fien on it. Casey asked what her balloon was (we had stopped earlier and got a monkey balloon made by the balloon guys) and she told him. Cami said he was really nice.
The three of us then headed up to our final stop of the day. This turned out to be another magical moment for Cami. This line featured Jim Mudcat Grant, Roy Smalley and Terry Steinbach. Russ kept the bag (that now felt like it had a couple boulders in it) off to the side and Cami and went up to the table. While we were waiting, Cami asked who the players were and I told her. She asked me how did Mudcat get his nickname and I told her I did not know and that she should ask him. When we got to the table, Cami handed him the baseball and he said “Well hello little lady!” to her. I whispered to Cami “Ask him!” so she said “How did you get the nickname Mudcat?”. Grant’s eyes lit up and said “Well, when I was a rookie my teammates thought I was from Mississippi and in Mississippi they have a lot of mudcats. Do you know what a mudcat is?” Cami said “No” and Grant said “A mudcat is a lot like a cat fish only bigger. The funny thing was that I was from Florida!” and I said “They could have called you Gator or something like that!” and Roy Smalley, who by this time was listening with us, said “Or Terrapin!” to which we all laughed. Grant then signed Cami’s ball and told her to have a great night. It was so awesome to see the interaction and the genuine care that both Mudcat and earlier Maury Wills showed to Cami. She may not remember these moments in a year from now but man, they were sure special tonight! I got Grant to sign a card for me and Cami proceeded to get her ball signed by Smalley and Steinbach while I got a pair of cards signed by each for Mark C. As we were leaving the table area, I over heard Roy Smalley mentioning how after Grant’s generation of ballplayers, the nicknames were not as cool because they were “Smalls” or “Steiny” (for Steinbach).
The three of us then all headed home and Cami calling her Twinsfest day a success. On the way home I asked her “Who was the coolest guy you met tonight?” I was thinking she would say Maury Wills or Mudcat. Nope. She replied “Rusty!” (my nickname for Russ). How cool is that?
