“I was 8 years old in Topeka. My grandfather lifted me onto his shoulders. Eddie pitched blindfolded. Three pitches, three strikes. The whole crowd lost their mind.”

“They were better than the Globetrotters. My dad said it without irony. He had seen both.”

“A free clinic before the game. Eddie spent an hour with kids on the field, no charge, before he ever picked up the ball that night.”

“My team didn’t score. I played second base. We never got a runner past first. We left smiling anyway.”

“A handshake worth 50 years. I asked for an autograph. He sat down with me for ten minutes. Still have the program.”

“Behind the back, in the rain. They didn’t cancel. They didn’t even slow down. The crowd stayed for every inning.”