beer, cheese and cards

Phil, my favorite soon to be Navy veteran sent me some padres cards in return for some cards of the Brew crew that I sent him. I have chosen to highlight 5 of the cards. Thanks for all the cards Phil. Another player who stopped by on his way to the Hall of Fame, there are several players with Padres connections in the Hall. Maybe that will be a contest question in the future. I was almost as excited this spring to hear that the Professor was helping at Padres spring training with the pitchers. These three guys are three of the nicest guys that I have ever met at a ball game or in the game.

Dan Walters I met when he was playing with Las Vegas, (when they were the Padres AAA club) he talked to several of us for a while. He suffered a spinal injury while playing that caused him to retire. After he recovered from that he became a San Diego policeman and was paralyzed from the neck down, when responding to a domestic disturbance he was shot in the neck and then struck by a car. That was in 2003 and he is still paralyzed, the last time I sent him something to sign, (before I knew the story) I received a note from his Mom telling me of his injury.

Bip Roberts I also met when he played for the Stars. He was a genuine nice guy and would often talk with us before and after games. He signed a page out of a Padres yearbook for me with a real nice inscription that I didn't request. He is now the baseball coach at his Alma mater, Skyline High School and also working as a broadcaster for the Giants. He travels with the Giants when the high school isn't playing.

Tim Flannery is two weeks younger than I am and one year I sent him a book about surfing for his birthday and we have exchanged cards and gifts a couple of times. We met at Safeco Field when the Padres played there the year it opened. He has gotten my family tickets a couple of time for Padres-Mariners games. He has also become of my favorite singers, he has recorded a bunch of CD's with a bluegrass, Celtic feel. He has even toured Ireland and played with Garth Brooks and Jimmy Buffett. Lastly, any card that can pair up Jake Peavy and Bob Gibson can't be all bad. Although looking at the card in person the Gibson photo is very much clearer than the Peavy. Amazing that the 40 year picture is clearer. Thanks again, Phil