Yankees-Indians - 1985

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My nephew John is always asking me to tell him stories about his Dad.

Heartbreaking 💔 but we do share the stories and end up laughing. 

So all good.

Johnny asked me about beat sporting event I saw with Jeff.

We went to Cleveland to see the Yankees and had seats behind home plate at the huge stadium on the lake. Miserable place.

Guidry was pitching for the Yankees and was still in the game through 8 but Cleveland was up 3-2.

The scene was Yankees down to their last strike. All the Indians fans going nuts and shouting us down because we were wearing Yankees gear.

Jeff announces:

“Rickey is going deep on this pitch.”

He hammered it over the left field wall. Tie game. Thousands of Indians fans sitting down.

The pitch after Rickey homered, Mattingly homered. Yankees win 4-3.

After the game, we were milling about, walking around the stadium. 

I lost Jeff! 

Then I see him at a door to a room in basement area of the stadium. He’s waving me over in a hurry.

I walked in the room and there was Jeff…

…and the Yankees!

They were in civilian clothes, waiting for the bus to the hotel.

And that was the night I chatted with Guidry and got a pinch of chew from Bobby Murcer.

Jeff spent most of his time in that room talking to Dave Winfield.

“How did he find the room?” Johnny asked.

“That was your Dad,” I said. “I never knew what might happen.”

And we laughed about a long ago night.


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