Tigers On Top

The Tigers game got rained out today, hopefully giving the guys time to reflect on why they seem to play better on the road than at home. I shall use this opportunity to do what broadcasters often do during rain delays: Share a couple stories.

STEVE SPARKS

For those of you who may not know, Steve Sparks is a now retired, almost 42 year old knuckleball pitcher who played for the Tigers from 2000 through most of 2003. He was, is, and always will be my very favorite player. There are many Sparky stories to choose from in my stash, but I guess I gotta pick just one …

In 2003, I went on a “college” tour, which was actually a very thinly veiled tour of the baseball shrines I most wanted to visit. I always knew that I wanted to go to University of Michigan, so for the sheer convenience of it I also applied to schools in Boston and Chicago in order to see Fenway and Wrigley on this aforementioned tour. Ever so conveniently, the Tigers were at Fenway for a two-game series for the two games that Dad and I were in Boston. Funny how things work out … I wonder if we planned it that way.

By that time, I’d known Sparky for a while–nonetheless, he was surprised to see us, and gleefully listened to the tales of our tour so far. “See you in Detroit!” he said as we parted ways.

In Detroit, as you might imagine, it’s a bit more difficult to attract the attention of a Tiger, being surrounded by other Tigers fans. It was Negro League Tribute Day in Detroit, we’d had a great visit to the University of Michigan, but no Sparky. We hung around the dugout, just waiting, explaining to the security guard that yes, we really did know Sparky, when he wanted to kick us out. He gave us a look like, Surrrrre, of course you know him, but let us stay anyhow.

I began to despair when almost all the players had gone in. Then the Fox Sports Net guys began setting up chairs for an interview. “Who’re you guys interviewing?” I called to them, hoping against hope. “Steve Sparks,” they answered, sending me into a tizzy.

Within minutes, Sparky emerged from the dugout, clad in a beautifully baggy throwback Stars uniform, high socks and all. “Hey Colt!” he said, spotting me. Surrounded by hordes of small children thrusting their giveaway Stars caps at him, Sparky patiently signed away and asked for updates on the rest of our trip. I told him about seeing Wrigley Field in Chicago, going up to Ann Arbor for the tour of Michigan; we talked about his upcoming high school reunion in Tulsa, and the rumors that he might get traded to Houston (reuniting him with his old batterymate, Brad Ausmus).

Afterwards, as I walked up the stairs grinning ear to ear, the security guard stopped us.

“Man, you really did know him!” he said. “Is he your neighbor or something?”

 TODD JONES

If you’ve ever wondered about my strangely fierce loyalty to Todd ”Roller Coaster” Jones, prepare to be enlightened.

Since he got traded from the Tigers, I’d kind of followed Jonesy around, making sure I got to at least one of his games every year (usually in San Francisco) just to say hi and see how things were going. When he came back to the Tigers last year, I was elated.

The second game of the Oakland series, I was standing behind the visitors dugout when Jonesy came running in from right field, where he’d been stretching and playing catch. He was waving madly at someone, pointing at the on-field boxes. I watched curiously until it hit me–he was waving at me!

Dad and I scurried down to the boxes, where Jonesy persuaded Trey, the security guard, to let us down. There was an exchange of pleasantries, and then one of the most beautiful sentences I’ve ever heard: “Want to come on the field, meet some of the guys?” Are you kidding?!

No, actually, he was not. Jonesy opened the little gate onto the field as if this was something perfectly normal, told me to grab my camera, and slung an arm around my shoulders as we strolled down towards the Tiger bullpen. Jonesy then proceed to snap photos of me with the catcher’s gear, me and Jason Grilli, me with Marcus Thames and Curtis Granderson (who loved my orange-and-blue Converse high tops), introducing me to almost every member of the bullpen as I tried not to act like a blithering idiot.

Returning to my dad, Jonesy quickly realized he was on the phone with my mom. Grinning, he took the phone and brightly said, “Hi Mom!” Nobody could believe it. All my security guard friends were grinning almost as widely as I was; Trey was afraid I was going to pass out from sheer joy.

How can you ever do anything but love a guy who’s made you that happy?