Scotty Bas

Long Brooks Robinson story I believe I told on radio: When the Orioles played in Memorial Stadium, the PA announcer was named Rex Barney. When a fan made a great catch of a foul ball, he'd say, "Give that fan a contract." At a game with my dad and Brooks fouls off a pitch. Dad makes a leaping catch, everyone cheers, Rex does his thing. I'm over the moon. I got a Brooks Robinson foul ball. Can't believe it. Next day at school, I tell everyone. Obviously. After school we have to play catch with this ball. Obviously. I figure I can throw a major league curve ball with it. I can't. I throw it low, my friend can't catch it. Now is when I mention we lived at the top of a hill. Ball rolls down the street and into a sewer. The Brooks ball is gone. I never told my dad when he was alive. I always look up to the sky at this point and say, "Sorry 'bout that, Pop." I tell this story decades later at a charity event in Baltimore. Turns out a man at our table did some work with Brooks. A week later a box arrives at my house with this and a note: Hope this makes up for the one that got away, Brooks. Indeed it did, Brooks. What a man.