Yesterday, I met number one on the list.
I had the chance to take my best friends to a dinner at Dodger Stadium.
I grew up a Dodger fan. The Yankees broke my heart twice and the Dodgers beat them once in 1981.
As I grew up Tommy Lasorda was a constant. Winning. Losing. Coming Back. Year after year. Tommy was always the same. Listening to his interviews on youtube. You knew, Tommy was a bad ass.
My buddies and I met up yesterday at the stadium. The dodger contact was late, so I was gripping. Was this going to happen. As we waited in the club level of the stadium, an grey haired man shuffled past. I knew immediately it was Tommy.
Like seeing a deer in the woods, I didn't want to make a noise to startle him. Seeing him in his natural surroundings he moved to the door, talked with some small kids and was surrounded by grown men softly cheering, "Tommy, it's TOMMY!", "It's an honor to meet you".
Off in a golf cart, he was gone.
Eventually, the Dodger contact met us and we made our way to the stadium club. Ten in all.
As we waited, the line of people at the door parted and Tommy came in.
He was just like I thought. Not a sweet grandfather, bouncing kids on his knee. More of a "Did you take out the trash?" Grumbling grandfather.
We sat at our table. I was in a position at the end of the table. Good maybe, bad maybe. Sitting next to your idol. What do you say? What do you do? So I held back, the other people in the group kept the conversation going and Tommy let it flow.
Tommy was careful at first.
But eventually, the goddamns and f-word came out once or twice.
This, this moment I will remember forever.
When we were getting food. Tommy when to the Tri-tip table. As we were waiting, I asked Tommy what ring he had on. It was a big championship ring. 81?88?
Tommy looked at me and said...."Hall of Fame."
Tommy took some tri-tip and asked the lady behind the glass. What kind of peppers those were? "Habaneros".
"Are they hot?" Tommy asked.
"Oh, yes", the cook said.
"Give me some...." Tommy held out his plate. (It may sound rude but the way it was said it was not at all)
She picked up a grilled habanero and put it on Tommy's plate. "Give me one more" and the lady picked up another and put it on the plate. Tommy then walked to the table.
What am I going to do?
Tri-tip with habanero. I know about the habanero so I knew the risks. I cut a small slice of chili and put it on the tri tip....not bad....for about 20 seconds.....and then the burn....
but...fuck it....
I ate it all.
Tommy told us stories about the dodgers in the 70's and the players today. We had about 90 minutes with him.
It was fantastic.
Tommy was number one on that list from 1999.
Right where he should be.
