The pope is resigning this week. He gave a two-week notice. Nice to see that even the pope gives a two-week notice. Any employer would appreciate that.
But today's post isn't about the current, soon-to-be-former pope. It has to do with Pope Paul VI.
On September 28, 1978 Pope Paul VI passed away. Now, flash to myself in my childhood living room. I am watching the New York Yankees play the Baltimore Orioles from Baltimore on WPIX-TV channel 11. Late in the game former Yankee shortstop and broadcaster Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto breaks the news to the viewers on television. The Yankees are en route to a 3-0 victory. After passing along the news of the pope's passing to the baseball game viewers, he says the following:
"Well, that certainly puts a damper on another Yankee victory."
I was 16 years old at the time and even I thought this to be an incredible statement. I enjoyed watching Yankee broadcasts when the Scooter was on the air. He shared the duties with Bill White and Frank Messer. Often when a Yankee game would go into extra innings he would tell his wife to keep dinner warm as he was going to be late getting home. An incredibly sweet and sincere gesture to be sure.
Let me establish this fact: I have never been nor will I ever be a Yankee fan. I grew up despising the team formerly known as the New York Highlanders. I grew up a Mets fan. New York's red-headed hardball-playing stepchildren. I was fortunate enough to live in an area where I could watch baseball games played by both Big Apple teams. Keep in mind that this was before the advent of cable television and satellite systems. Often there were days where I could watch two games on the same day/evening, especially if one of the teams was on a west coast road trip.
Let me establish this fact: I have never been nor will I ever be a Yankee fan. I grew up despising the team formerly known as the New York Highlanders. I grew up a Mets fan. New York's red-headed hardball-playing stepchildren. I was fortunate enough to live in an area where I could watch baseball games played by both Big Apple teams. Keep in mind that this was before the advent of cable television and satellite systems. Often there were days where I could watch two games on the same day/evening, especially if one of the teams was on a west coast road trip.
I got a chance to meet Rizzuto in person many years later, in the early 90's, while working the press gate door at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. He had forgotten his press pass and no one at the press pass will call window knew who he was. He sees yours truly at a nearby door and yells over. "Hey kid! Do you know who I am?" I said, "Sure, you're the Scooter." His eyes lit up and he execlaimed "Oh, thank God! Somebody here knows me!" So I let him in the door and he made his way to the press box.
It never fails that whenever I hear about a pope passing away, or in this case leaving his "popeitude" I quickly recall that day in 1978 when the Scooter "broke it down", so to speak.
I'm going to be watching the Daytona 500 on tv this Sunday. Odds are pretty low that during the last 20 laps of the race Fox broadcaster Mike Joy says something like, "It's Pope Benedict XVI's last day today. Too bad it happens on the same day as an action-packed running of the Great American Race".
But ya never know.
I'm just sayin'.
