Sunday was our first day collecting “troop shout-outs.” The Pentagon Channel crew, which includes Camille Cherry, Steve Greisiger and myself, headed over to Busch Stadium bright and early Sunday morning. We got some quick shout-outs from Ozzy Smith, Ginuwine and the Cardinal Girls. We were looking foward to the All-Star Celebrity Softball game which always provides great access to familiar faces. Then the skies opened up. Thunder. Lightning. Buckets upon buckets of rain. It appeared our shot of collecting more shout-outs was washing away. The game was sure to be canceled.
Some quick thinking by Camille saved the day. She said, “The celebrities have to be somewhere, let’s find them.”
Ashanti
We went to their batting practice which was about 10 minutes away from the stadium. Since they didn’t have to leave to play the game, we had more time with them than originally scheduled. Billy Bob Thornton, Ashanti, Andy Richter and Chingy, among others, gave some great shout-outs to the troops.
I had a chance to speak with Tommy John. Yes, the same Tommy John from Tommy John surgery and long-time Major League pitcher. The man is funny.
Billy Bob Thornton
“When they operated,” he said, ”I told them to put in a Koufax fastball. They did – but it was Mrs. Koufax’s.”
He also happens to be the winningest picher in Major League Baseball history who isn’t in the Hall of Fame. During our conversation, he told me he was in the Air Guard many years ago. He was a “702.” In English, that means he was a clerk/typist/adminstrative-type Airman.
These types of moments always strike me funny. Here’s Tommy John. A man who should be in the Hall of Fame, according to many. His name will probably remain tied to a surgical procedure for decades to come. And the only thing he wants to talk to me about is his time in an Air Force uniform as an “Admin troop.”
Funny.
