Quote:
Originally Posted by gblowfish
I love Denny and I'll share a couple quick stories. In the late 1980s I went into my local grocery store that was open 24 hours. It was around midnight. When I went to the checkout lane, there was a guy waiting in front of me wearing a Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Jacket. I said "Hey man, that's a really cool jacket. Are you from Chicago?" Guy turned around and it was Denny. My eyes lit up because I recognized him. Before I could say "Holy Shit YOU'RE DENNY MATTHEWS" he put his index finder in front of his lip to shush me. He said in a real hushed tone "Thanks. I'm a big hockey fan. I like baseball better, but really like the Blackhawks." I just smiled and nodded. He didn't want anybody to make a fuss over him in the grocery store.
In 2015 at the world series parade, I was in the front row with my friend Gary and Derrek. Derrek passed away in 2016, and we three guys were the three muskateers of going to Royals games. We went to games as friends since 1974; went to the parade together in 1985 and again in 2015. Derrek detested Denny for some reason. Said he was just a stat regurgitator; had no real personality like Harry Caray or Bob Ueker, and was in the Baseball HOF for "perfect attendance." We argued about Denny for years and years. So I tell you this because, during the parade, a truck comes rolling down with a bunch of the Royals employees, and walking along side is Ryan Levebre and Denny. I'm yelling at Denny and waving at him. He comes right over to us, and makes a beeline to the first person in our group -Derrek- Denny sticks out his hand and says to Derrek -thanks for coming out, you fans are the greatest- something like that. Denny shook his hand and Derrek was speechless. Gary and I just laughed and laughed. One of my favorite memories of the parade.
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Awesome story GB but I will have to side with your late friend Derrek on this one. I never could bond with Denny. It was Buddy all the way for me. I still hear Blattner's voice to this day.
I watched the 85 Parade from the 24th floor of the Town Pavilion. Dangling my feet over the steel, the best seat in the house. JE Dunn wanted me up there to push the plumb line up the steel skeleton. Later figured out The Super just wanted us all to have the best vantage point in the city. No work was able be done with the crowds along the sidewalks where control points existed.