Rod Beck is still awesome
June 24th, 2007 at 06:34 pmI wish I had some awesome Rod Beck memories to share with you, but alas I only barely remember him as a semi-above average baseball closer for much of the 1990s. But the quote below from this CNNSI article makes me wish I had taken the time to get to know him just a little bit better.
While working his way back to the majors in 2003, Beck pitched for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs and lived in his Winnebago parked just beyond the outfield fence. Fans would drop by for autographs and stay for a beer, and Beck became a folk hero. Then the Padres called.
Seriously, what pro athlete is that awesome anymore? In the age where most scrub players yet alone stars live in mansions far away from us normal folks and who act like they’ve done the planet a favor every time they sign an autograph, Beck would kick back and down a brew with you in his own home. That’s just kick ass. I can only imagine some of the stories that guy must have had. May he rest a little more in peace knowing that he never had to play for the Seattle Mariners.
