Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

[suicide_squeeze]

I thought it would be fun to start a thread for all of us to share a moment we were captured on TV, in a highlight, on ESPN Sports Center, your local 11:00 news......whatever, in the game used hobby we are in.

Here's mine...

It was last year.....at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers were playing the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 6, 2008. I started the game in the left field bleachers, in search of ManRam's 521st home run (if he were to hit it). Well, he did, but to right!

So I made an impossible trip around the stadium to get a ticket to get in the right field bleachers and into the face of the fan who caught the ball.....a story all in itself for another time.

But....a funny thing happened to me while I was over there....

Some of you may very well remember the incident. The Dodgers, facing Brandon Webb and in the very game the Dodgers knocked him out (Manny's 3-run homer against him), then got up again while I was talking to a security guard down the right field line..

All of a sudden, he hits ANOTHER drive to right, so I told the security guard "I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!"....and ran down the stairs, and back up in the direction of the ball.....and Justin Upton had a bad dealing with "Mr. Sun"....

I am the guy in the blue Dodger cap and white Nike t-shirt.......

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=3428494

PLEASE share your 15 minutes of fame too!.....or, like in my case.....3 seconds!!

[jobathenut]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

suicide-This is a fun thread.And great story,but would like to hear the other one about you getting into the face of that fan.Anyway,i don't really have any cool stories like that.But heres a couple of mine.Me and my brother go to our local college hockey games,and we go to almost every home game.Well in 2008 we decided to go to a road game.We taped the game as we do all the games,and when we got home we just happen to decided to watch the game.And all of sudden we both looked at each other as it dawned on us that we were watching us on tv.There was a delay in the game so they were shwoing fans and we were on the screen for a good 3-5 mintues.Which was funny cause we werent even aware it was us until it went off us.And we had to rewind the tape and see if it was us.And the funny part, the next day they had a annual skate with the team and get autographs show.And me and my brother were down there before the doors opened.In the lobby it was just us and 2 other guys with thier kids.And then one of the guys came up to us and asked,"hey,were'nt you guys on tv last night at the game"?.Needless to say me and my brother were blown away,and my brother said "yeah",i guess we're famous.And we laughed.And the other claim to fame was in 2006,me and my brother went to cleveland to see our yankees play,and during that famous game on the 4th of july we have blocked from our yankees minds.We had seats first row outside the first baseline and i was taking a picture,and the woman sitting next us,told my brother,"your brother is on the diamond screen".And sure enough i was,and i actually have a couple of pictures of me taking pictures of the diamond sceen while on it.

I thought it would be fun to start a thread for all of us to share a moment we were captured on TV, in a highlight, on ESPN Sports Center, your local 11:00 news......whatever, in the game used hobby we are in.

Here's mine...

It was last year.....at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers were playing the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 6, 2008. I started the game in the left field bleachers, in search of ManRam's 521st home run (if he were to hit it). Well, he did, but to right!

So I made an impossible trip around the stadium to get a ticket to get in the right field bleachers and into the face of the fan who caught the ball.....a story all in itself for another time.

But....a funny thing happened to me while I was over there....

Some of you may very well remember the incident. The Dodgers, facing Brandon Webb and in the very game the Dodgers knocked him out (Manny's 3-run homer against him), then got up again while I was talking to a security guard down the right field line..

All of a sudden, he hits ANOTHER drive to right, so I told the security guard "I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!"....and ran down the stairs, and back up in the direction of the ball.....and Justin Upton had a bad dealing with "Mr. Sun"....

I am the guy in the blue Dodger cap and white Nike t-shirt.......

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=3428494

PLEASE share your 15 minutes of fame too!.....or, like in my case.....3 seconds!!

[cordovacollector]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

When we clinched the division in 2003 playoffs, I made a catch of a foul ball nearly off the ceiling in the Dome and it was on national & local TV. By the time I got home, my answering machine was full of calls from people all over and people I hadn't seen in years. The next season it was used as part of a Twins' commercial played during every televised game. And it was replayed during every home game on the big screen as an ad for the bottom of the 4th inning where if you catch a foul, the player that hit it will sign the ball.

I also had taken a picture of Herb Carneal, our HOF broadcaster, and he was very fond of the photo. When he passed away, the family used that photo on his funeral memorial, and the Twins' and family used it for the publicity shot for the news of his passing. Saw my photo on all major news networks and sports networks, and on the large marquee outside the Dome, in the video tribute they made of him, in the Mpls Trib. full-page memorial ad, and on the cover of the Twins' memorial magazine. Now it is part of a print to recognize the last year in the Dome. It was quite an honor.

One of my best buddies at the Twins games found a Michael Cuddyer baseball card with him in the background!

[gingi79]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

I was n TV behind Alain during the Canucks/Islanders game this season. I taped the game and I am clearly seen.

Too bad they screwed the pooch and lost to the Blackhawks. This years team was awesome

[chakes89]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

Do I detect a mullet in Dodger Blue?

[allstarsplus]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

It was 2005 and Barry Bonds was injured most of the year but would return in September to play a few games and so he made a historic trip to Washington DC which is a stadium he had never played in as this was the 1st year of the Washington Nationals.

In RFK Stadium, the 1st 2 rows were called the homeplate suite and I purchased it in anticipation of Barry possibly playing which he did and he hit a titanic HR to the upper levels of right field.

As soon as the pitch was delivered I was already standing and pumping my fist just as Barry swung. This Bonds HR was replayed many many times on ESPN hence with me in the background got a lot of air time.

I think it was Barry's 708th career HR.

I am in the far left in the blue shirt in the picture.





PS - A buddy and I just auditioned for a new baseball themed movie starring Owen Wilson and Reese Witherspoon which will have 2 weeks of filming in Washington DC and at Nats Park so if I get a part in that movie maybe I get another 2 minutes of air time. The film is currently titled "How Do You Know?" .

[dcrules01]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

Easter Sunday in 06 Mets played the Brewers I was sitting in the 2nd row with my wife behind 1st base.Carlos Delgado hit a home run in the 8th inning.When I got home and watched the ESPN highlights right before his home run with a runner on 1st you can see me in the backround taking a picture with my camera.

That same season I was sitting 7 rows behind the Mets dugout at Citizens.My boss taped the game for me.You can see me throughout the game sitting with my wife taking pictures.That is my claim to tv fame.

[silkman22]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

Andrew,

Very cool picture and memory. I was at that Nationals / Giants game sitting about 15 rows behind you. It remains the longest homerun I have ever seen in person. If I recall, Bonds, in the middle of the steroids controversy, was being jeered loudly prior to each at bat. Once the ball left his bat, RFK Stadium became eerily quiet as the ball rose into the upper deck.

JP

[Jake51]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

Hi,

Wasn't me so much as it was my stuff....A month ago or so the Denver Post did an article on the uniform history of the Denver teams [Broncs, Nugs, Avs, Rockies] and my '67 Steve Tensi jersey was used for the large, center page photo for the article.

Thanks,

Tom

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

Do I detect a mullet in Dodger Blue?

...No mullet, chakes, but I do wear my hair a bit longer than the norm.

I have always had a good mane and am proud of it, so I guess I could be referred to as a 70's throwback type.....the male version of "Farrah Fawcett".....God bless her.

[allstarsplus]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

Andrew,

Very cool picture and memory. I was at that Nationals / Giants game sitting about 15 rows behind you. It remains the longest homerun I have ever seen in person. If I recall, Bonds, in the middle of the steroids controversy, was being jeered loudly prior to each at bat. Once the ball left his bat, RFK Stadium became eerily quiet as the ball rose into the upper deck.

JP

That may have been the longest HR ever to right field by the way. I have some amazing pictures from that day including pre-game I got into the stadium before it opened and Barry was sitting in the stands. RFK was known for horrible stench in the drainage in the lower levels so most players didn't want to spend time in the clubhouse. Barry did what many veterans would do and sit in the stands until the stadium opened.

Another Forum member, Jason Halliburton wrote a great piece on here about approaching Bonds sitting in the stands. I also got some great photos of Barry sitting in the seats.

A historic day and that HR baseball ended up a couple of seats away from the Upper Deck seats I purchased for that game. I think it was Section 457 was where it eventually landed a few seats away from one of my sons was sitting and the ball landed directly behind where one of his friends was sitting.

[bigtruck260]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

April 29, 2006

Albert Pujols homers to set the April HR record. As he rounds third, my very pregnant wife and I can be seen in the background hi-fiving each other. It's clear enough that friends of mine pointed it out to me during the DVD party for the Cards/Tigers WS video (it's a special feature).

It's an interesting conversation starter. I have the tickets and a USPS envelope commemorating the feat in my living room - so a pretty easy 'lead in'.

Also, during a game at the stadium in the 90's - one of my best friends decided to storm the field with his shirt off. Just before he jumps out (and the cameras cut away) - you can see me putting my hand on my head saying 'NO WAY' as I am dangling his house/car keys. I had this on tape, but somewhere lost it after I got married. I think it was Bob Carpenter who narrated it..."Look at his buddy imploring him not to do it..."

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

I've had several of them over the years, but the best was my catch on the fly of a Bret Boone home run during a Reds 9-0 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 2, 1994. The catch and some playful ribbing was the bulk of the coomentatry for the rest of the half-inning on the Reds TV telecast (Brenneman and Nuxhall....autograph guru Terry Hartman sent me a video), and game-used collector Marc Bernstein sent me a video...after calling me and telling me about it...from that evening's Sportscenter, where, in the highlights, Keith Olbermann actually mentioned my name during the description of the homer. That last part caused a bit of friction out on Waveland Avenue...in that era, the Ballhawks took themselves, individually and as a group, way more seriously than they have in the 2000s, and several younger guys out there were steaming because a newbie like me (it as my third season of serious hawking) got such a publicity blessing instead of one of them. The guys out there today would have high fived me, but back then, the younger guys were very into deciding upon their own what constitutes a real Ballhawk, and to them, it should have been someone more experienced and talented than I was. Too bad, A.H., Yimmy, and company! The older guys (Rich, Moe and Ken) were all cool about it.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

GREAT stories.....all of you guys.

I was hoping that somehow you guys could share a link to show off the video of you "doing your thing" in each case. If possible, dig em out and load for for everyone to see.

In my one moment on the tube, I was caught by srprise and the ball bounced off the track and right into my face.....it was crazy! So, what do I do?

I DROP the dang thing!

But in all honesty, it was spinning like a cyclone top and the second it hit my hand it JUMPED off my palm.....would have been an awesome stab if I had caught it clean.

The ball is really cool....you can see the warning tract dirk still imbedded in it...I'll try to post a pic or two when I get home tonight.

Andrew.....great pics, thanks. It's crazy....you seem to have known what was about to occur and you reacted before it even did.....

So.....like.......How long am I going to live for, Andrew?

[suicide_squeeze]

Re: Your "15 minutes (seconds!) of GU fame...

April 29, 2006

Albert Pujols homers to set the April HR record. As he rounds third, my very pregnant wife and I can be seen in the background hi-fiving each other. It's clear enough that friends of mine pointed it out to me during the DVD party for the Cards/Tigers WS video (it's a special feature).

It's an interesting conversation starter. I have the tickets and a USPS envelope commemorating the feat in my living room - so a pretty easy 'lead in'.

Also, during a game at the stadium in the 90's - one of my best friends decided to storm the field with his shirt off. Just before he jumps out (and the cameras cut away) - you can see me putting my hand on my head saying 'NO WAY' as I am dangling his house/car keys. I had this on tape, but somewhere lost it after I got married. I think it was Bob Carpenter who narrated it..."Look at his buddy imploring him not to do it..."

DAVE!! Great story....get a pic for us to see it!


By the way, did the wife ever figure out who the father was?