I don't know if too many people know this or not, but many minor league baseball teams ask local area families to host their players for the season. The family takes the player in, let's them stay at their house and makes them feel at home all in exchange for season tickets, typically. Usually it's a great situation. The families love it, the players like the home cooking and cheap or free rent and people generally get along.
Not always though. When I worked for the Elmira Pioneers in 2000, we had one problem player - Reymundo D. The first time I met Rey, I picked him up from the Greyhound station - interesting way to get to Elmira from Puerto Rico, don't you think? I asked him what position he played and he responded "lefthand peetcher" and made the throwing motion with his right arm. I don't know why, but that kind of tipped me off to him being a little unstable.
Later in the season, when his host family came to complain that he was taking their teenage son's clothing and wearing it like it was his own, they also informed us of his daily routine...
Get up, smoke a bowl, eat a bowl of cereal, take a shower, go back to sleep.
An hour later: Get up, smoke a bowl, eat a bowl of cereal, take a shower, go back to sleep.
An hour later: Get up, smoke a bowl, eat a bowl of cereal, take a shower, go back to sleep.
An hour later: Get up, smoke a bowl, eat a bowl of cereal, take a shower, go back to sleep.
An hour....you get the idea. It usually continued like that until he had to get ready to report to the ballpark.
The life of a ballplayer, huh?
Yeah, he didn't last too much longer with us after that. In fact, and I'm still not totally sure why, he ended up cleaning the ballpark with the cleaning crew in the mornings after a game day. I think he was broke and couldn't get a Greyhound ticket back to Puerto Rico. Weed, your own clothes and your own cereal can really put a strain on the old pocketbook.
God I miss working in baseball.
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Today in Down With Pants! history...
Apparently, April 21st is a DWP! day of rest. No history to speak of.
Not always though. When I worked for the Elmira Pioneers in 2000, we had one problem player - Reymundo D. The first time I met Rey, I picked him up from the Greyhound station - interesting way to get to Elmira from Puerto Rico, don't you think? I asked him what position he played and he responded "lefthand peetcher" and made the throwing motion with his right arm. I don't know why, but that kind of tipped me off to him being a little unstable.
Later in the season, when his host family came to complain that he was taking their teenage son's clothing and wearing it like it was his own, they also informed us of his daily routine...
Get up, smoke a bowl, eat a bowl of cereal, take a shower, go back to sleep.
An hour later: Get up, smoke a bowl, eat a bowl of cereal, take a shower, go back to sleep.
An hour later: Get up, smoke a bowl, eat a bowl of cereal, take a shower, go back to sleep.
An hour later: Get up, smoke a bowl, eat a bowl of cereal, take a shower, go back to sleep.
An hour....you get the idea. It usually continued like that until he had to get ready to report to the ballpark.
The life of a ballplayer, huh?
Yeah, he didn't last too much longer with us after that. In fact, and I'm still not totally sure why, he ended up cleaning the ballpark with the cleaning crew in the mornings after a game day. I think he was broke and couldn't get a Greyhound ticket back to Puerto Rico. Weed, your own clothes and your own cereal can really put a strain on the old pocketbook.
God I miss working in baseball.
***************************************************************
Today in Down With Pants! history...
Apparently, April 21st is a DWP! day of rest. No history to speak of.
3 comments:
I miss dealing with athletes and coaches too ... kind of. :)
I didn't know that about minor league players. Kind of like having an exchange student, eh?
Karl - Yeah, kind of. That'a a good way to put it.
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