Baseball

Been watching baseball the past few nights and remembering some great times as a kid sneaking into Tiger's Stadium to watch games or afternoon games back in the 80's  when the Cubs didn't have lights at Wrigley Field and WGN broadcast the games at 1:05pm and we listened to Harry Cary belt out "Take Me Out to the Ballpark" during the 7th inning stretch and so many more baseball memories.

Back in the late 80's and early 90's I use to go out to the San Antonio Missions games that were played at St Mary's University, this is back when they were the Dodgers AA affiliate team.  I always got a first base side ticket which is the visiting team's side so there were always lots of great seats to choose.  One day I was watching the game and satisfying my own curiosity by timing the hitter from the batters box to first base or other base running, as I was engrossed the game and my stop watch writing down the times I didn't notice the guy that decided to sit next to me nor did I notice that he wasn't watching the game he was watching me!!  After a few minutes he asked me if I was a scout or college baseball coach... I smiled and told him that I wanted to be a Strength and Conditioning Coach but hadn't quite made it to the classroom just yet!! We talked about what I was doing and about some of the ideas I had in training baseball players but when it came to grip I went on a tirade explaining not just the importance of grip strength but wrist, hand and finger dexterity, strengthening the extensors as well as the flexors and when you do that you get a bonus with strengthening the forearm muscles and in turn the elbow extensors.  He asked about exercises and if you know me... I not only had an IronMind Gripper with me but talked his ear off on everything from wrist rollers to rice buckets to sledgehammer and leverage bars and everything in between!! Then I told him that the using the leverage bar to stretch the bicep muscles and shoulder was an amazing stretch and then I demonstrated the stretch on him.  We talked so much that we completely forgot the game that was going on!!  When the game was over and we both got up to leave he said he wanted to continue our conversation but he had to head out and he told me to give him a call in a few days and handed me his card. I told him that I would and he was gone and it wasn't until I was in my Jeep ready to leave that I looked at his business card... He was the Director of Minor League Scouting for the San Fransico Giants!!! 

Holy Shit was about all I could think.  So I called him on the day I said and he asked me if I'd be interested in coming out the San Fran for a few days to talk to the Coaching Staff and Athletic Trainers!!  I said YES so quick I think it took him by surprise... a few days later someone from the Giants called me with my flight, hotel information and itinerary.  It was an unbelievable trip from start to finish... they flew me First Class and when I landed and was walking to baggage claim there was a dude holding a sign with my name on it.  I walked over to him and he quickly grabbed my bag and we headed to a limo that was waiting on me. He took me the scenic route telling me about everything I saw out of the windows all the way to my fancy ass hotel in downtown San Fran near the ball park. When I checked in the lady at the front desk gave me a note that said I'd be picked up at 5pm for the game that night.  When I got the stadium I was met by the Director of Scouting and a few others (I wish I remembered his name) where they took me to meet Roger Craig the Giant's Manager after that we headed to the dining area to eat then to a private box to watch the game!!!  What an experience it was but the next morning when I got picked up and brought to the stadium to talk to the Coaches and Athletic Trainers and a few players poked their heads in to listen and watch. I had a blast sharing information and especially when I noticed that everyone was taking notes and asking me questions, here I was 'just' a Powerlifter with no degree or certification but I had a lot of knowledge that they wanted. It was then I knew that I really wanted to make my dream of being a Strength and Conditioning Coach become a reality and even though it would take me until 1996 to finally get my degree and certification it didn't matter to me!! I had another day left in town and the team was heading out so I asked them to drop me and my IronMind Gym Bag off at The Sports Palace even though it was a Olympic Weightlifting Gym and I was a Powerlifter complete with a thick ass belt Coach Jim Schmitz welcomed me because HEAVY Squats are a universal language!!

A few weeks later I was at a Missions game when the Manager came over to me to give me a hard time about going out to San Fran to share my knowledge but not to the team I was there to watch... he then told me that the Dodgers wanted me to come out to talk to the Coaches and Athletic Trainers which I did and they took just as great care of me as the Giants did!!! 

Meeting and having the opportunity to sit and  talk to Tommy Lasorda was the highlight of that trip for sure!!  Well that and going to Venice Beach.. . actually Muscle Beach to lift was an unbelievable experience. It would be another 10 years before I'd get a chance to train there again but this time as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the San Antonio Spurs