Re: BE JEALOUS!!!
To: Rita (ritaritasenorita@yahoo.com)
From: ledoux67@aol.com
Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:03:28 -0400
Subject: Re: BE JEALOUS!!!
I can do the orange and black thingy too!!!
First of all, when your brother and I got back from Cooperstown, and I saw that big flat package with the Orioles logo on the return address, I KNEW what it was!!! (The mail man didn't even try to BEND it to fit it in the mailbox; God love him, he WALKED IT TO OUR FRONT DOOR and stuck it between the storm door and the door)
I effin' LOVE it and will frame it for my office wall, even though any time they say "Collectible Commemorative Poster Suitable For Framing In This Sunday's SUN" a part of me thinks WHAT, DOES THIS HOUSE LOOK LIKE A DOUBLE-WIDE??? WHAT KINDA GOOBER FRAMES A PICTURE FROM THE FRIGGIN' NEWSPAPER ANYWAY????????
But "To Margo. Best wishes. Cal Ripken Jr. #8 Hall Of Fame 2007." Yeah. THAT gets framed, and I'll set it right there on the shelf next to my set of Collectible Hardees Nascar Plastic Cups, lmaaao.
Now....I know we told you about the autographs WE snagged (Brian finally broke down and paid $65 to get an autograph from Pete Rose; "It made me sad, in a way, but I had to do it") and I got to not only get autographs from, but banter about pitching with, Denny McLain and Bill Lee... Lee was great: "I still play senior league ball. Why don't you just go PLAY if you feel like you still want to play?"... and we saw Eddie Murray coming out of the bathroom at the museum (I shrieked "EDDIE!" and he put his finger to his lips and went "Shhhhh" lmaaao. You know, some things are BETTER than getting an autograph!)... we saw George Will rushing down the street on Sunday morning to get to his book signing... talked to a gentleman at the bookshop who was Burleigh Grimes' ghostwriter-historian... saw a ton of people who we both KNEW were former players but we couldn't quite place names to the faces... and then of course there was our Mel Proctor sighting (he was sitting on the corner across from the bakery on Main Street Sunday night after the ceremony, looking VERY piqued... he looked like I felt, like he needed about four showers and a massage on top of it)...
But as I hinted on the phone to you two, the best of all was SATURDAY NIGHT, after the "red carpet event," waiting out front of the museum for Cal to come out, because we all KNEW he would stop and sign autographs and since it was Cal, he wouldn't STOP until everyone was taken care of... well, we were about ten feet from the door and he was working his way down, and as he signed for the kid standing next to us, I said "Hey, Cal... my sister in law says you came into her office and signed autographs for her."
And he looked at me and said "Who's your sister in law?"
"Rita, in the warehouse."
And he smiled and said "Oh, yeah... the ballgirl!"
Anyway YOU ARE SO RIGHT ABOUT HIS BLUE EYES, good God, I remember them so well from the time that Tony and I waited at Memorial Stadium for an autograph. Still gorgeous... swoon sigh lmaaao. Anyway I said "Yeah, the pregnant ballgirl." And he said "Yeah, I asked her when the baby was due and she said 'What do you mean, due? I'm not pregnant!' and I thought 'Oh, no...'" lmaaaao
Well, then he goes "Are you the one she said played against Ellie?" And I said "I don't know. I mean, I played softball the same years she did, but I don't remember, unless she played in one of those Maryland-PA classics." And he goes "Well, she's inside... go in and ask her" and he lifts up the rope and says "She's in the lobby in there with Billy." And I can feel Brian thinking he's going to get left behind so I grab his hand with my left and with my right, I grab Cal's hand and say "Congratulations" and he smiles and says "Thanks." So... no autograph, but a handshake. Like I said, some things are better.
Anyway we march up the steps and into the lobby, and there Billy Ripken is standing with this woman about my age who you can tell is a Ripken, same eyes and nose and LOOK about her. And I said "Are you Cal's sister?" and she says "YEah." And I told her that Cal said come on in, I used to play softball, and in 1977 and 1978 I was on an all-star team that played the Maryland all star team down at Western Maryland COllege, and she said "Yeah, I played in that." Well, we compared notes, I told her who I was and I STRUCK HER OUT THREE TIMES, RITA!!!!!! Twice in 77 and once in 78.
She said "I was even READY for you in 1978 but that didn't do me any good" and I said "No, it probably wouldn't have" and she laughed, and Brian said "I KNEW you were gonna say something like that."
Anyway we stood and talked shop for about ten minutes... it was just so cool. I mean, anytime you meet someone like that (Cal or other ballplayers) you get all nervous, when really they're people with families just like you, you know? YOU know... you're around these people all the time.
And I HAD to tell Billy about the time at the Orioles store in DC when Tony and I went down for his autograph. I don't know if Tony ever told you this one or not. It was August 1988... the Orioles used to have a team store in DC on Farragut Square, and players would come in every so often and sign autographs. Well, this one day Billy Ripken and the Oriole Bird were scheduled to sign and Tony and I rode down there in the stinkin' Washington DC heat and humidity and got there around 11 for a noon signing and ALREADY the line was around the corner... and this is the big business district of DC, so there weren't many kids... it was mainly government workers, business people, etc. Well, the line starts moving about 12:30 and we inch around the corner, closer, and closer, and closer... finally, we get into the store at about 1:30 and we are literally fourth in line, and the Bird hands us autographed postcards (signed "The Bird" lmaao) and this store worker comes out and says "Folks, we'd love for Billy to keep signing, but unfortunately, he has to get back up to Memorial Stadium for batting practice" and just as I'm thinking "I hope Tony takes this all right," the guy in front of us, this fat puffy ruddy faced baldy in an Armani suit, goes BALLISTIC!
"I WAITED ALL THIS TIME TO MEET BILLY AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING BILLY HAS TO LEAVE BUT I WANNA MEET BILLY AND GET BILLY'S AUTOGRAPH!!!" I mean, it was part LAYING INTO this poor six dollar an hour store clerk and part BLUBBERING like a baby... I would of expected it from Tony, but Tony was totally cool; this big 35 year old BABY was losing it.
Anyway as this guy is going nuts, out from behind the partition steps Billy Ripken, just this dude dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, and he says "Calm down, man," and he hands the guy a picture, then shakes Tony's hand, gives both of US pictures, and then turns around and goes out the back of the store with the Bird.
I told Billy that and he laughed and said "Yeah, I kind of remember that. That guy's probably standing out front right now with junior" lmaaao.
Anyway they were both nice and we could have stayed and talked more, but we didn't want to keep them or anything, so we said good night and then took off through the museum. Brian said "You should have gotten her email address" and I didn't even think of it. Ah, well.
So in answer to the question: yes, we did play against each other in that all-star game, two years straight, and I GOT HER both years!!! HA!
Anyway I hope you are bearing up well under the heat. I KNOW you are. Give you an air conditioner and some dulce le leche and you'll bear up FINE, lmaaao.
Less than two weeks, Senorita. I'm excited for you. Brian and Becca and I will be down next Friday night. Is Maura coming in??
Later sweetie! xoxoxoxoxo Margo
From: ledoux67@aol.com
Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:03:28 -0400
Subject: Re: BE JEALOUS!!!
I can do the orange and black thingy too!!!
First of all, when your brother and I got back from Cooperstown, and I saw that big flat package with the Orioles logo on the return address, I KNEW what it was!!! (The mail man didn't even try to BEND it to fit it in the mailbox; God love him, he WALKED IT TO OUR FRONT DOOR and stuck it between the storm door and the door)
I effin' LOVE it and will frame it for my office wall, even though any time they say "Collectible Commemorative Poster Suitable For Framing In This Sunday's SUN" a part of me thinks WHAT, DOES THIS HOUSE LOOK LIKE A DOUBLE-WIDE??? WHAT KINDA GOOBER FRAMES A PICTURE FROM THE FRIGGIN' NEWSPAPER ANYWAY????????
But "To Margo. Best wishes. Cal Ripken Jr. #8 Hall Of Fame 2007." Yeah. THAT gets framed, and I'll set it right there on the shelf next to my set of Collectible Hardees Nascar Plastic Cups, lmaaao.
Now....I know we told you about the autographs WE snagged (Brian finally broke down and paid $65 to get an autograph from Pete Rose; "It made me sad, in a way, but I had to do it") and I got to not only get autographs from, but banter about pitching with, Denny McLain and Bill Lee... Lee was great: "I still play senior league ball. Why don't you just go PLAY if you feel like you still want to play?"... and we saw Eddie Murray coming out of the bathroom at the museum (I shrieked "EDDIE!" and he put his finger to his lips and went "Shhhhh" lmaaao. You know, some things are BETTER than getting an autograph!)... we saw George Will rushing down the street on Sunday morning to get to his book signing... talked to a gentleman at the bookshop who was Burleigh Grimes' ghostwriter-historian... saw a ton of people who we both KNEW were former players but we couldn't quite place names to the faces... and then of course there was our Mel Proctor sighting (he was sitting on the corner across from the bakery on Main Street Sunday night after the ceremony, looking VERY piqued... he looked like I felt, like he needed about four showers and a massage on top of it)...
But as I hinted on the phone to you two, the best of all was SATURDAY NIGHT, after the "red carpet event," waiting out front of the museum for Cal to come out, because we all KNEW he would stop and sign autographs and since it was Cal, he wouldn't STOP until everyone was taken care of... well, we were about ten feet from the door and he was working his way down, and as he signed for the kid standing next to us, I said "Hey, Cal... my sister in law says you came into her office and signed autographs for her."
And he looked at me and said "Who's your sister in law?"
"Rita, in the warehouse."
And he smiled and said "Oh, yeah... the ballgirl!"
Anyway YOU ARE SO RIGHT ABOUT HIS BLUE EYES, good God, I remember them so well from the time that Tony and I waited at Memorial Stadium for an autograph. Still gorgeous... swoon sigh lmaaao. Anyway I said "Yeah, the pregnant ballgirl." And he said "Yeah, I asked her when the baby was due and she said 'What do you mean, due? I'm not pregnant!' and I thought 'Oh, no...'" lmaaaao
Well, then he goes "Are you the one she said played against Ellie?" And I said "I don't know. I mean, I played softball the same years she did, but I don't remember, unless she played in one of those Maryland-PA classics." And he goes "Well, she's inside... go in and ask her" and he lifts up the rope and says "She's in the lobby in there with Billy." And I can feel Brian thinking he's going to get left behind so I grab his hand with my left and with my right, I grab Cal's hand and say "Congratulations" and he smiles and says "Thanks." So... no autograph, but a handshake. Like I said, some things are better.
Anyway we march up the steps and into the lobby, and there Billy Ripken is standing with this woman about my age who you can tell is a Ripken, same eyes and nose and LOOK about her. And I said "Are you Cal's sister?" and she says "YEah." And I told her that Cal said come on in, I used to play softball, and in 1977 and 1978 I was on an all-star team that played the Maryland all star team down at Western Maryland COllege, and she said "Yeah, I played in that." Well, we compared notes, I told her who I was and I STRUCK HER OUT THREE TIMES, RITA!!!!!! Twice in 77 and once in 78.
She said "I was even READY for you in 1978 but that didn't do me any good" and I said "No, it probably wouldn't have" and she laughed, and Brian said "I KNEW you were gonna say something like that."
Anyway we stood and talked shop for about ten minutes... it was just so cool. I mean, anytime you meet someone like that (Cal or other ballplayers) you get all nervous, when really they're people with families just like you, you know? YOU know... you're around these people all the time.
And I HAD to tell Billy about the time at the Orioles store in DC when Tony and I went down for his autograph. I don't know if Tony ever told you this one or not. It was August 1988... the Orioles used to have a team store in DC on Farragut Square, and players would come in every so often and sign autographs. Well, this one day Billy Ripken and the Oriole Bird were scheduled to sign and Tony and I rode down there in the stinkin' Washington DC heat and humidity and got there around 11 for a noon signing and ALREADY the line was around the corner... and this is the big business district of DC, so there weren't many kids... it was mainly government workers, business people, etc. Well, the line starts moving about 12:30 and we inch around the corner, closer, and closer, and closer... finally, we get into the store at about 1:30 and we are literally fourth in line, and the Bird hands us autographed postcards (signed "The Bird" lmaao) and this store worker comes out and says "Folks, we'd love for Billy to keep signing, but unfortunately, he has to get back up to Memorial Stadium for batting practice" and just as I'm thinking "I hope Tony takes this all right," the guy in front of us, this fat puffy ruddy faced baldy in an Armani suit, goes BALLISTIC!
"I WAITED ALL THIS TIME TO MEET BILLY AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING BILLY HAS TO LEAVE BUT I WANNA MEET BILLY AND GET BILLY'S AUTOGRAPH!!!" I mean, it was part LAYING INTO this poor six dollar an hour store clerk and part BLUBBERING like a baby... I would of expected it from Tony, but Tony was totally cool; this big 35 year old BABY was losing it.
Anyway as this guy is going nuts, out from behind the partition steps Billy Ripken, just this dude dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, and he says "Calm down, man," and he hands the guy a picture, then shakes Tony's hand, gives both of US pictures, and then turns around and goes out the back of the store with the Bird.
I told Billy that and he laughed and said "Yeah, I kind of remember that. That guy's probably standing out front right now with junior" lmaaao.
Anyway they were both nice and we could have stayed and talked more, but we didn't want to keep them or anything, so we said good night and then took off through the museum. Brian said "You should have gotten her email address" and I didn't even think of it. Ah, well.
So in answer to the question: yes, we did play against each other in that all-star game, two years straight, and I GOT HER both years!!! HA!
Anyway I hope you are bearing up well under the heat. I KNOW you are. Give you an air conditioner and some dulce le leche and you'll bear up FINE, lmaaao.
Less than two weeks, Senorita. I'm excited for you. Brian and Becca and I will be down next Friday night. Is Maura coming in??
Later sweetie! xoxoxoxoxo Margo
posted by Max | 11:23 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home