People in Sports Revered in Death or Retirement Wo Were Jerks

Buddy of mine who grew up in the Twin Cities used to wait by the Twins players' entrance to get autographs before and after games when he was a kid in the late 70s/early 80s.

He said he once saw Roy Smalley coming out after a day game and asked for his autograph. Smalley said he didn't have time because he had to go meet his wife. Smalley got in his car and proceeded to start reading the newspaper.

 

Maybe he was reading the personal ads.

 

He converted.

 

Tommy Lasorda, Vin Scully and a LA Times columnist shared a cab.. Lasorda jokes that black players just want tight pussy, loose shoes and a warm place to shit.

 

And he stole that line from Earl Butz?

 

I think Williams is a person who could be good guy to people in his inner circle. Though I wonder if most of them just accepted his moodiness. But I think he was probably a jerk to the large percentage of the population he perceived as fools.

 

I remember the first time I tried to get autographs from members of the old Denver Bears minor league team in 1969. Many of the players had cabs waiting and could not stop. People in Denver in 1969 rarely used cabs.

 

I've heard this about him that, if you're a bartender or a caddy and not all gaga, he takes care of you. Was like that with the clubhouse guys when he played.

However, Brett chooses the live in the same city where he was a legend. He chooses to take a paycheck from the Royals to, essentially, "be George Brett".

My favorite Brett with the fans interaction only because Greg Brady is part of it:

 

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has heard about some major shit with Ripken.

 

Anybody ever had issues with Albert Pujols? I caught him in a really bad stretch, when he was really not doing well with the Angels, so maybe it was just circumstance.

 

I know a guy who worked in the visitors' clubhouse for the Jays when Brett was killing them in the 80s. Said there wasn't a better guy to deal with, always looked after the clubhouse guys, made sure you had a ride home, would call your dad on his birthday if he was a fan. Interviewed Ray Whitney once and he had some great Brett stories of playing for the Spokane Chiefs which Brett is still involved with.

As for Williams, obviously I never met him but a friend of mine's father was an RCMP officer in the area of New Brunswick where Williams fished. He often ran into him and said Williams was well-liked in the area because he respected the locals and often joined them when they fished and they looked out for his property when he wasn't around. The Red Sox have a huge following in the Canadian maritimes which wouldn't hurt.

 

Met him at a minor league game about 10 years ago. He was selling new MLB baseballs, unsigned, for $10 a piece, which was the best price I'd ever seen. We bought several.