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The first baseball player I liked

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Contributed by: Erin Di Paolo on 10/6/2007

A highlight from my recent trip to Vegas was meeting Steve Garvey, not once, but twice. Garvey was a baseball star for the Los Angeles Dodgers, voted MVP in 1974. He was also the first baseball player I had a crush on, long before I liked baseball. So it was a thrill to meet him, up close and personal, at a sports shop in sin city.

The first time we saw Garvey was when we were on our way to a show after eating dinner at The Cheesecake Factory at the Forum Shops in Caesars Palace. A big banner outside a sports memorabilia shop said Steve Garvey was appearing at the store.

I instantly became excited, but also pensive. I am quite shy when I get around famous people, especially sports stars. So from a distance I peeked into the store, where Garvey was just getting ready to leave, and said, "You were the first baseball player I ever liked." Apparently that struck a chord in him because he said "awwww" and motioned for me to come over. When I did, he kissed me on the cheek (I swore I would never wash it again), and hugged me for what seemed like a lifetime. In fact, he made the comment that we seemed to be glued together.

After that, we went on our way, but the memory of it stuck in my mind. I was like a kid in a candy shop, I have to admit, which is a good way to be sometimes.

The next night we went back to the same shopping center, as we needed to buy gifts for our kids. I also wanted to see Garvey again, though we were not sure he would still be there.

My friends, Lori and Melissa, told me they wanted to go in together for a meaningful belated birthday gift for me, something that would remind me of our trip together. They asked if I wanted clothes or jewelry. I instantly knew what I wanted: something signed by Garvey. Nothing else would do. So we went to the sports store to see if there was anything they could afford to buy and have Garvey sign for me.

They ended up purchasing an overpriced 8x10 of Garvey at bat with the Dodgers in his hey day. Afterwards, we were escorted to the table where Garvey sat and I joined him. He had remembered us from the night before, as did several employees. I couldn't figure out if that was good thing or not.

Steve talked to me about what we had been up to, what we were going to do that night. I didnt say much, being in the shell-shocked state I was in. Later my friend Melissa commented that she was surprised I didn't ask him any questions, as I used to be a sportswriter. Lori said I must have been overwhelmed by excitement, which is an understatement.

Soon it was time to say good-bye. Again, I received a hug and a kiss on my cheek.

After we left, I kept thinking how lucky I was to meet someone who I dreamed of when I was a young girl of 10. The best part, I think, was that reality ended up being even better than the dream had been. How many things can we say that about?

Meeting Steve Garvey brought a piece of my childhood back, one of the few innoncent things I still remember from that time period. For that, I am eternally grateful.

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Erin Di Paolo

Denver , CO

Erin Di Paolo has posted 66 blog entries and 1 comment since joining on 3/18/2006. Erin Di Paolo 's average blog rating is 4.45.

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