In my Memory

I will always see
the town that I have loved so well
where our school played ball by the gas yard wall

and we laughed through the smoke and the smell (The Dubliners) 

i have a few days off......was sitting in the yard last night watching the Mets and the A's game.....they have a day game thursday....was thinking about heading out to citifield......a flood of memories came back to me......as a little tyke i was an Oakland Athletic fan....and i have always remained an A's fan throughout the years although my primary rooting interest is the miserable Mets.......but I was enamored with the A's from the age of 7  when they beat the hated Red Legs of Cincinnati........maybe it was the uniforms that first caught my eye...that incredible blend of Green and Gold.....and that 1972 Fall Classic is the first one i can remember sitting in front of the Television on 76th street and watching with my brothers and my Father.......i think i was the only one rooting for Oakland......anyway....Joseph Oden Rudi made an incredible leaping grab against the wall  at Riverfront stadium saving 2 or 3 runs and preserving a key road win for the Athletics......he naturally became my favorite player....#26......i copied his stance and mannerisms......i always asked for his number in little league at St Ephrem's and then OLA.....i loved the whole team but Joe Rudi was my guy.

I remember one day I was in school, 3rd grade ....I have a good memory but i had to go to baseball reference for the exact details......May 1 1974....a Wednesday afternoon......around 9:30 i was told pack my bag and to go to the Principals' office....uh-oh...what now.......when i got there my Mother was waiting for me and she told me we had to leave....the Nun in charge wished my Mother good luck and as we walked out of the school she told me not to say a word......about what ?  i had no idea what was going on.....i was surprised to see my father sitting in the Blue Pontiac station wagon and my brother Brian in the back seat.....why wasn't my Father at work ?  when i got in the car they told me the NEWS......my Dad had the "Company Box Seats" (Pfizer) for the Yankees vs the Oakland Athletics matinee at Shea Stadium ... the Yankees were playing at Shea while the Olde Yankee Stadium was being renovated....my Father would never take us up to the South Bronx, especially in 1974; it was a war zone.....but the family friendly Shea Stadium was a different story.....i was estatic.

I can still see the field in my minds eye.....it wasn't my first Big league Game....i had been to Shea a few times and even made one visit to the Old Yankee Stadium ( that's a story for another day) but this was different.......these were my hero's ......it was brilliant sunshine and the A's wore their Hunter green Tops and brilliant white pants.......and wouldn't you now it....Joe Rudi homered........like i said i remembered that part and i remember Catfish Hunter was the starting pitcher...but i looked up the rest.......there were only 7600 fans at the game and the Yankees rallied to win 4-3....i know we left early because my Dad was coaching OLA baseball that night and they had a game on Shore Rd.....i remember hearing in the car radio on the way home that Herb Washington (world class sprinter) entered the game as a pinch runner and thinking how cool that was.

as i sit here this morning i am leaning against going to the game tomorrow.....50 years in the rear view window......i could never recapture the excitement of that day...so why try.....maybe it's best to leave some memories alone on the shelf. Thanks to my parents for giving me that special day. 

there I spent my youth and to tell you the truth
I was sad to leave it all behind me
for I learned about life and I found a wife
in the town I loved so well