When Opportunity Knocks...

Every season major league baseball teams spend half their time on the road. From buses, to airplanes, back to buses, to hotels. Every seven to ten days the routine starts over. It's a part of the game the athletes accept - but most don't really enjoy - because they are away from their families.

The Milwaukee Brewers were no exception - except for one road trip a year. Like most teams in major league baseball, the Brewers planned a family trip every year, where the players had the opportunity to bring their wives and children along at the team's expense. The players would vote on which trip to take, trying to select two major cities (out of thirteen at the time) which their families would enjoy visiting.

Since I was the team's public relations director and part of the regular traveling party, I also had the opportunity to take my family along. Unlike the players' families, my brood didn't have the chance to travel as much.  Every year, they always looked forward to making the trip.  So one season my wife, Kathy, and our four children, Jessica, Marty, Tina and Scott, ages five to sixteen, joined us on a trip to Seattle and Oakland.

Having been exposed to major league baseball players their entire lives, my kids didn't look at them as celebrities as the average fan would.  "Hey, these were just guys that dad worked with!" That was why I was a little surprised when my youngest son, Scott, who was five years old at the time, asked me if I would introduce him to Robin Yount.

The Brewers had several fan favorites during my stay with the team, but Robin and Paul Molitor were probably the two most recognizable and popular players in the club's history.

On the field Robin was known as Mr. Brewer, since he played his entire career with Milwaukee, something very few players do anymore. Because of free agency, many players switch teams at the ring of the cash register, with the only loyalty going to the almighty dollar.

Robin was one of only three players in baseball history to be named the league's Most Valuable Player at two different positions. He had the greatest year in the team's history in 1982 while setting several offensive records as a shortstop.  After a severe shoulder injury forced him to move to the outfield in 1985, Robin bounced back to win league MVP honors as a centerfielder in 1989. 

Off the field, Yount was one of the finest human beings I was ever associated with. His picture was next to the word "class" in the dictionary.  He was a team player from the word go who didn't care about individual accomplishments.  He never got caught up in his celebrity status; he was just a regular guy who would have played baseball if he were paid $10,000 a year because that was what he enjoyed doing. 

I have seen fans seek out players throughout my career, so I felt rather funny about approaching him and introducing him to my son. Knowing Robin, he would be embarrassed and wonder why anyone would want to meet him.

Throughout the first part of our trip in Seattle, Scott kept asking me when he could meet Robin. I knew sooner or later that I would have to set up the meeting. I wanted it to be as natural as possible, but I never thought it would happen the way it did.

Our last game in Seattle was a night game. When the game was over, we bused to the airport, flew to Oakland and arrived at the hotel about 4 o'clock in the morning. As I hustled my family on the nearest elevator, everyone was tired and ready to sleep in a real bed.

As we all stared at the elevator doors on our trip to the top floors, I looked to my left and low and behold, there was Robin, just as tired looking as the rest of us.  I saw my chance.  What could be more natural than this?

"Robin," I whispered, "My youngest son, Scott, has been dying to meet you!  You're his favorite player.  Would you mind saying, 'Hello.'?"

Robin smiled, nodded, and said "Sure, I'd love to meet him"

Scott had been standing on my right, probably sleeping on his feet.  I grabbed him by his shoulders and turned him towards Robin, figuring I would surprise him.

"Scottie," I said, "You know who this is?"

He arched his head way back and looked up at the six-foot-one inch Yount through half-closed eyes and said...

"Sure, that's Paul Molitor!"

I almost fell over!  I leaned over and whispered into his ear "Scottie, its Robin Yount!"

After seeing the look of terror on my little guy's face, as Scott knew he blew his big moment, Robin next move was as smooth as his Hall of Fame swing as he leaned down and shook Scott's hand. 

"Hi, Scott, I'm pleased to meet you," he said, turning Scott's frown into a big smile.

As the elevator door opened, we all straightened up and Robin whispered into my ear, with a chuckle...

"Yeah, he really wanted to meet me!"

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