Tribute to Buck O'Neil

[gblowfish]

The Royals website mentions that today is the ten year anniversary of Buck O'Neil's passing. Hard to believe it's been ten years.

I met Buck outside the Negro League's Baseball Museum by accident one Saturday morning. My good pal Vince was in KC visiting; the Cards were in town and he grew up a Cardinals fan. So we were going to the game that night. When I picked him up from the airport we had some time to kill, so we went down to 18th and Vine. We were going to do the museum, then go over to Bryant's BBQ for lunch.

When we were walking in, Buck was walking out. I recognized him, and said something like "HOLY MOLEY....Hi Buck!!!" He shook our hands, and autographed Vince's game ticket for him. He was a gentleman, and super cool.

He passed a couple years after that.

Did any of you have any Buck O'Neil stories?

[gblowfish]

BTW...the Broadway Bridge was offiicially re-named the Buck O'Neil Bridge today in his honor. Very cool.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

The Royals website mentions that today is the ten year anniversary of Buck O'Neil's passing. Hard to believe it's been ten years.

I met Buck outside the Negro League's Baseball Museum by accident one Saturday morning. My good pal Vince was in KC visiting; the Cards were in town and he grew up a Cardinals fan. So we were going to the game that night. When I picked him up from the airport we had some time to kill, so we went down to 18th and Vine. We were going to do the museum, then go over to Bryant's BBQ for lunch.

When we were walking in, Buck was walking out. I recognized him, and said something like "HOLY MOLEY....Hi Buck!!!" He shook our hands, and autographed Vince's game ticket for him. He was a gentleman, and super cool.

He passed a couple years after that.

Did any of you have any Buck O'Neil stories?

I met him at a few different things I've been at. One was a little dedication for a local baseball field named after him. I think he was probably 92 at the time. He drives up in this huge Cadillac...he's really nice to everyone, taking pictures, etc. Every time a female would approach him for a picture he'd say something like, "Oh now, look at this one...you get real close to me for this picture..."

I had him sign a ball and he asked me where I was from. I told him I grew up Omaha and he goes right into some stories about going up there to scout Bob Gibson and trying to talk him out of playing basketball (Gibson was a star at basketball player at Creighton). Awesome guy.

[SAUTO]

My wife met him at a function for special needs kids not you awful long before his passing.


He took the time to speak to every person there individually.

Had to be a very awesome man

[OnTheWarpath15]

No stories, but I am wearing my Monarchs polo shirt today. Would loved to have met the man.

[stevieray]

One of the many gems that is Kansas City.

SALUTE.

[Mosbonian]

George...I have a very special story of Buck....

We were living outside the KC area but my wife took the kids to visit her Mom. While she was there she decided to take my son, who was 6 at the time, to a Royals game. During the game a Royals player who later left KC for more money fouled off a pitch and a man near us retrieved it for my son and gave it to him. He was so excited...my wife decided to stay after the game and see if she could get this player to sign it for my Special Needs son.

They waited and said player emerged from stadium. My wife asked him to sign the ball and he brushed right by her saying he was in a hurry. Oddly enough he had enough time to stop and talk to a pretty young girl who caught his attention. My wife was furious and my son was disappointed.

Buck was nearby and saw what happened.....he walked over and started talking to my wife and son and apologized for the players behavior. He stood there and talked to my son for about 30 minutes about my son's first time at a baseball game and told him a little about his own career. My wife said my son just stood there fascinated. Then Buck took out a pen and asked my son for the baseball and signed it for him. He said you tell your Daddy that you met Buck O'Neal and see what he says.

The moment he got back to Grandma's house he couldn't wait to call me and tell me all about meeting Buck. Before that night he had no real interest in baseball....but after that we had the one thing every dad hopes he gets to share with his kid, a love of baseball. He can't really play because of his disability but he loves to talk baseball.

To me, if it wasn't for Buck's kindness that night my son and I might never had shared a love of baseball.

Buck will always have a place in my heart....the former Royal can catch the worst case of jock itch and athlete's foot that never gets cured for all I care.

The baseball Buck signed.....sits in my son's room to this day.

[Mosbonian]

Sorry for misspellings of Bucks last name...for some reason autocorrect changed it on me.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

George...I have a very special story of Buck....

We were living outside the KC area but my wife took the kids to visit her Mom. While she was there she decided to take my son, who was 6 at the time, to a Royals game. During the game a Royals player who later left KC for more money fouled off a pitch and a man near us retrieved it for my son and gave it to him. He was so excited...my wife decided to stay after the game and see if she could get this player to sign it for my Special Needs son.

They waited and said player emerged from stadium. My wife asked him to sign the ball and he brushed right by her saying he was in a hurry. Oddly enough he had enough time to stop and talk to a pretty young girl who caught his attention. My wife was furious and my son was disappointed.

Buck was nearby and saw what happened.....he walked over and started talking to my wife and son and apologized for the players behavior. He stood there and talked to my son for about 30 minutes about my son's first time at a baseball game and told him a little about his own career. My wife said my son just stood there fascinated. Then Buck took out a pen and asked my son for the baseball and signed it for him. He said you tell your Daddy that you met Buck O'Neal and see what he says.

The moment he got back to Grandma's house he couldn't wait to call me and tell me all about meeting Buck. Before that night he had no real interest in baseball....but after that we had the one thing every dad hopes he gets to share with his kid, a love of baseball. He can't really play because of his disability but he loves to talk baseball.

To me, if it wasn't for Buck's kindness that night my son and I might never had shared a love of baseball.

Buck will always have a place in my heart....the former Royal can catch the worst case of jock itch and athlete's foot that never gets cured for all I care.

The baseball Buck signed.....sits in my son's room to this day.

It's awful dusty in here all of a sudden...