In part one, baseball fan Roy Berger decided it was time to relive his childhood with a week at the Pittsburgh Pirates Fantasy Camp.
Read on to learn how he prepared for the first day, and fought back the fear of total humiliation …
I did some homework since committing to this deviation from adulthood and sanity back in August.
The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates were my earliest childhood sports recollection. I was 8 when they beat the Yankees in the World Series. Over the past few months I’ve read as much as I could about the team and in particular the “legends” that are going to be at fantasy camp.
Of course I got up to speed on the other six games of the World Series that were played before Bill Mazeroski’s October 13, 1960 home run caused me to do a jig in my living room.
Don’t miss Part One, Fantasy Baseball Camp: Choosing Your Camp.
In researching it was amazing to me how much I forgot (or most likely didn’t even know) about “my” team and the World Series that followed. I bought a DVD of the highlights of the 1960 World Series as well as the Pirate season in review. I also read up on the individual accomplishments of the six guys from that team that will be at camp for the week. It was all great stuff that I devoured in rehashing.
I learned that one of the six, who was a star during the 1960 season, was absolutely awful in the World Series. I promised myself I wouldn’t bring it up. (Unless, of course, he gives me a hard time.)
However, research wasn’t the only thing I had to do to prepare. Fortunately, my son Jason had some free time over the holidays and we did quite a bit of throwing.
I actually threw a bit better than I expected, considering I hadn’t used a throwing motion in at least years. I am, and always have been, a first baseman with perfect credentials for the position: tall, lanky, left-handed, and extremely slow.
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When the Pirates sent the initial camp questionnaire they asked for my three preferences of position to play. My first choice was first base. My second choice was first base. My third choice was … you get the picture.
I could still catch the ball but my 35-year-old first baseman’s glove didn’t last too long as one of Jason’s tosses went right through and tore the webbing. We found a shoemaker who stitched it back up for $7. I hope it holds for a week.
I can still catch the ball but have no flexibility at all. I probably can get in front of a ground ball but not sure I can get back up again. And as far as throwing goes—let’s just say if it’s important enough for the runner to go from second to third on a putout at first base, well, he’s got it.
For the past six weeks I have rented 30 minutes in a batting cage once a week. One clean base hit this week will make my week.
I think I’ve prepared but who knows?
***
Today’s the day. We need to report to the dorm at Pirate City by 5 p.m. and the welcome reception begins at 6 p.m. Just in case, I have a reservation on Southwest back home that leaves at 8 p.m.
Today is actually my third visit to Bradenton and all have been Pirate-related. The first time was spring training 1972. My second visit to Bradenton was a few weeks ago on Christmas Eve day as Jason and I were driving from Orlando to spend time with my parents at Del Boca Vista. We diverted to Bradenton as I wanted to look at the set up before arriving for real.
Don’t miss 5 Places to Catch Baseball’s Spring Training
We were greeted and escorted by Rachelle Madrigal who works in the sales department for the Pirates at Pirate City. She showed us the entire complex, which was very impressive. It was a bit intimidating to walk out and see the ball fields, but I was glad I got a taste prior to today’s arrival.
I told Rachelle the only thing I feared all week was being humiliated and embarrassed. She said, “Oh don’t worry about that, most of the guys at camp are much older than you.”
I asked her how old she thought I was. She mumbled, “40?”
I said, “Thanks but I guess I am one of those old guys.”
According to the attendee list, there are 83 campers enrolled and 15 ex-Major League players. Campers range in age from 30 (the minimum age allowed) to 77. I already hate the 30-year-olds.
***
Tonight was the opening banquet, which had a reunion feel as it seems a lot of the guys have done this before. I sat with three other “rookies” from Atlanta, Orlando and Ohio, all of whom lived in Pittsburgh at some point in their lives (unlike me).
Two of the guys at the table are at camp as a 25th wedding anniversary gift to themselves. No kidding. The wives wanted diamonds and they wanted to go to Pirate camp. Another man received a week at camp as a 50th birthday gift from his family.
A tall, distinguished man walked by our table with a plateful of food and asked if he could join us. Only at a baseball fantasy camp could you have a former Major Leaguer with more than 200 career wins ask to join four baseball rubes!
Jerry “Rolls” Reuss won 220 games as a Major Leaguer for eight different teams. He was a two time all-star, lifetime 3.64 ERA and more than 1,900 career strikeouts topped by a no-hitter for the Dodgers over the Giants in 1980. He ended his career as a Pirate in 1990. And during dinner he went out of his way to find out about our lives!
Camp director and former Major League reliever Kent Tekulve went over the rules and regulations for the week and then introduced the 15 or so major leaguers that will be our coaches. Bill Mazeroski—the reason we are here this week—got a standing ovation
Someone at our table asked Reuss what we can expect this week.
He said, “You’ll hear a lot of baseball stories, most of which we hope you forget by the time you go home. And you’ll have more fun this week than you could ever imagine.”
We’ll see. We report to the clubhouse tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.
By Roy Berger for PeterGreenberg.com.
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