TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME

It was the spring of 1974 and I was a deputy on the Darke County Sheriff's Department in Greenville, Ohio. My friend, Gary Bowman was a detective on the police department. Gary also worked part time at the local radio station, W.D.R.K. (The Bright Spark in Darke) as a color commentator. Most of Gary's radio work was calling area high school athletic events with an occasional “gig” at a Cincinnati Reds game.

This was not just an ordinary spring. This was the year Hank Aaron would break Babe Ruth's all-time home run record. Hank ended the 1973 season with 713 career home runs, just one short of tying the Babe.

The Atlanta Braves, Hanks team, was opening the season with a three-game series at Cincinnati. It was not likely that a hitter as talented as Aaron would play all three games against the Reds and not tie and then break the record. Braves management wanted Aaron to break the record at home in Atlanta before the hometown fans. However, baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn felt that to be fair Aaron should play at least two of the three games scheduled at Cincinnati.

On April 4^th, the first game of the series, Hank connected with a pitch that he sent over the outfield fence. Number 714. In the second game of the series on April 5^th, Hank went 0 for 3, leaving himself still one home run short of breaking the Babe's record.

On the evening of second game, I received a call from Gary who invited me to join him the next day, at Cincinnati, to watch the final game of the series. Gary was thinking that since Hank still needed one homer to break the record that we may be lucky enough to witness it in person.

Naturally I accepted the offer but felt I should ask Gary how we were going to find tickets for such an historic game. Gary just chuckled and said, “We don't need tickets, I have press passes”.

So, the next day I joined Gary in his cigar smoke filled car and we headed to Cincinnati. The rumor was that Braves management had fulfilled the commissioner's order and that Hank would not be playing that day. But we were on the way, and we were going to make the best of it, even if Hank didn't play.

We arrived at Riverfront Stadium well before game time and Gary drove straight to a VIP parking area close to the VIP entrance. This entrance was reserved for players, staff, and press. I was impressed. When we stepped into the stadium we were confronted with a maze of tunnels and passageways. I was convinced that we would be lost and spend the whole day trying to find the way out. But Gary was not intimidated. He said he thought we should go out to the field and see who was in the dugout and taking batting practice.

He led me through a few twists and turns and suddenly there was light at the end of the tunnel. In just a few seconds we were standing on the playing field at the entrance to the dugout. I was impressed. I felt like a kid in a candy shop. I don't really remember a lot about the field and dugout except there were a few younger players standing around. I really don't think I recognized any of them.

After a few minutes on the field, we decided we should head into clubhouse locker room. Gary thought we may get to meet some of the starters as they were getting ready for the game. As we walked into the locker room the first two players, I saw were Johnny Bench and Pete Rose. Bench was in uniform and nearly ready to play. Gary walked up to Bench, and they shook hands and of course, I had the opportunity to shake his hand too. Bench's hand was nearly four times the size of mine and at that point I really did feel like a kid. Pete Rose was about half dressed and the look on his face told us that he really didn't feel like meeting new people. I guess that I wouldn't be very cordial either if I had unexpected guests while I was in a T-shirt and jock strap.

In just a few steps we were outside of the offices of the coaches and manager. In the first office we were greeted by Alex Grammas, third base coach and George Scherger, bench coach. We visited with them for a few minutes, then walked across the hall to the manager's office. Gary knocked on the door then opened it and stuck his head in and said, “Hi Sparky, do you have a couple of minutes?” Sparky met us at the door and said "Gary, good to see you again". And again, I was impressed. Gary introduced me to Sparkey and he asked us to have a seat. We chatted with Sparky for a few minutes, then Gary asked if he would mind doing a short, taped interview for the station. He agreed and the tape recorder appeared. After a few questions Gary thanked him for his time and as we got up to leave, Sparky got up, told Gary he was glad to see him again. He then told me he was glad to meet me and to come back anytime. Once again, I was feeling that kid in the candy shop feeling. I had just been sitting in the office of and been talking with one of the most successful and popular managers in all of professional baseball.

From the offices we headed up to the press box. The press box was a large room on an upper level. It was furnished with rows of very comfortable seats facing the playing field that could be viewed through a full wall of windows. Also, the room was equipped with state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment. After all this was a big game and the room was full of celebrity sportscasters. ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN were present, as well as radio and TV stations from every part of the country. The back of the room was a lounge area with tables and chairs and along one wall was a buffet, provided by the Reds management, for the press. The buffet had every kind of food one could think of. Roast beef, ham, pork chops, chicken Etc. Every possible kind of potatoes, vegetables, salads and of course pie, cake, cobblers and ice cream. And beer and soft drinks.

Since we had not had lunch, we decided to take advantage of buffet. I might add that the food was quite good. By the time we finished lunch it was getting close to game time, so we found a couple of seats near the window with a great view of the field. Suddenly as we waited for game time, a hush fell over the room. Joe Nuxhall was about to enter the room. Nuxhall played for several major league teams including Cincinnati during his career and then went on to coach and later became a sportscaster. At the time Nuxhall was the youngest person to play in a professional baseball game when he was just a few days short of his sixteenth birthday.

Nuxhall stepped through the door and surveyed the room full of big named sportscasters and suddenly he spotted Gary and me standing in the aisle. As he came to greet us, he smiled and said “Gary, how have you been? It's so good to see you again.” Again, I was introduced to a baseball legend. I know that all of those network stars who were hoping to meet Joe Nuxhall were wondering who that slightly overweight cigar chewing guy and his tall, skinny friend with the bad haircut were. Apparently, they had never heard of “The Bright Spark in Darke”.

Gary and I watched a few innings and when it became apparent that Aaron would not be playing, we decided leave early to beat the after-game traffic.

The braves were back in Atlanta on April 8^th and in the fourth inning Hank hit one over the fence off of Dodgers pitcher Al Downing for number 715, a new all-time home run record.

On the way home Gary sat quietly chewing on his cigar and most likely thinking about how he would air his most recent interview with Sparky Anderson. I, on the other hand, was still trying to digest everything that had taken place this day. For years I have described that day as feeling like a kid in a candy shop but that really doesn't come close to the way I felt that day. It has been nearly fifty years and it is still fresh in my mind.

Gary left the police department and built a very successful food business featuring the Texas Tenderloin. WDRK is no longer in existence and Gary passed away several years ago but the thrills and memories that he gave me will never pass away.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack, I don't care if I never get back.

R. Bruss