Hero

I had a hero growing up. His name is Jim “Catfish” Hunter. He was a pitcher for the Oakland A’s in the late ’60s and early ’70s. There was just something about him that was so cool. He was a great pitcher, but there was something more about him that I just couldn’t explain. The odd thing was, I was a diehard New York Yankees fan and he played in California. Of course, I had his pictures on my wall everywhere, to honor my boyhood idol. I would hear him interviewed on TV after a big game and he seemed like such a simple man really. Not the hero type I guess, but he was mine just the same.

Then in 1975, he joined my beloved Yankees. I could have died then and gone to Heaven, at least I felt like I was halfway there. More pictures went up on my wall. Now in Yankee pinstripes, all was perfect in my baseball world. He lead the American League that year with 23 wins, and he completed 30 games
It’s unheard of today, pitchers are lucky if they throw five innings let alone nine innings in a defeat.
I was a pitcher myself in High School, and I tried to do everything he did. I bought a Wilson A-2000 glove, I wore Puma Baseball spikes and even chewed tobacco wrapped in bubble gum because he did. I would have grown a big bushy mustache just like his if it wasn’t for the peach fuzz I had at the time. My Dad even called me “Sonfish” because I tried to be so much like “Catfish”

One day in 1978, I was reading the local Penny Saver flyer, which listed different bargains and such. As I turned the page my heart stopped beating with an advertisement for a local sports footwear store.
“GRAND OPENING! Saturday, July 15th Help Us Celebrate! Free Autographed Pictures of “Catfish” Will Be Given Away. New York Yankee Pitcher Jim “Catfish” Hunter In Person.” (I still have the Ad) It was three days away, how would I make it that long of a wait to see him? I was so excited, I don’t remember doing anything but waiting to meet “Catfish.” When the day came I got there early. My dad drove me to the Mall, and we were some of the first ones to be online. I was actually going to meet my idol, the biggest, and most important person in my life besides my dad. While I was waiting, I stared straight ahead for the first glimpse of him coming out of the back room. I felt a hand on my shoulder as someone was passing by. Oh My God! It was him, with that big smile, and a kind looks in his eyes. He actually looked like he was happy to be there. At that point I don’t know if I was breathing, he was bigger than life and standing that close to me. He sat down at a table in the store, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

When it was my turn to step up to the table, a thought came to my mind, “what should I call him?” As I stood in front of him he reached out his hand to me and said “Hi, I’m “Catfish” Hunter, what’s your name?” I introduced myself and told him what an honor it was to meet him. He smiled and said it was his pleasure to meet me. Can you imagine that The man that I so put on the highest pedestal ever said it was his pleasure to meet me? I brought a couple of baseballs for him to sign, and he signed a picture for me. As he was signing, I told him that I was a huge fan (a total understatement) and that I was a pitcher in High School, and to pay tribute to him, my Dad called me “Sunfish” He wore #29 on his uniform, and I wore #19 because I was not worthy to wear his # 29. He got the biggest smile on his face and laughed. I could tell he was honored and not laughing at me. He asked if my father was there. I pointed to a dad standing off to the side, allowing me to have my moment. He waved and smiled at dad.

Sometimes we meet celebrities that we look up to or maybe even admire, and are disappointed by the people they really are. I have to say that “Catfish” surpassed what I thought of him before, and I had a deeper admiration for him after I met him. He even took the time to show me how he held his fastball and curve. I was in awe and threw my pitches the same way from that day on.

“Catfish” retired on September 17, 1979, and the Yankees said Thank you and Farewell to him at Yankee Stadium. In 1987, he was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. I wanted to be there that day, but regrettably, I couldn’t go to pay tribute to my hero.
Less than a year later he was diagnosed with ALS, a disease named after a fellow Yankee great Lou Gehrig.
It was so difficult for me to see this man waste away from such a horrible disease. Near the end of his life, he lost all use of his arms. The hands that pitched No-Hitters, World Series games, and even reached out to shake my hand, were now just dangling at his sides, never to sign another autograph or wave to his adoring fans. “Catfish” left this world on September 9, 1999, I cried when I heard of his passing. But as long as I live, I will carry that day I met the great James Augustus “Catfish” Hunter. It is burned into my memory where he is alive, healthy, waving, and smiling that welcoming smile. Thank you, Sir, until we meet again.