Everyone has his hero.
My dad was my hero for years and still is,
but "Jolting Joe's" death today saddened me like few
I've witnessed. I really never followed baseball but my
parents bought me a Joe Dimaggio soft ball glove when
they really couldn't afford it, It must have been when I
was eight years old or so.
It was like an overgrown work
glove, not like the modern things, a representation of the
times, a leather thing that time forgot, a nasty leather glove
that was little better than a bare hand. I have never forgot
that glove. Outside of the mechanical tractor I got when I
was six years old it was the defining moment of my
childhood.
I lived with that glove. It was not
only a ball glove it was a tie in with every boys hero "Joe".
He never let us down. He never failed a drug test, slugged
an umpire, or failed us in a tight spot. He would always come
through. If we played hard we might be like "Joe."
Over the years I've had my heros.
Some fly fished, some were sports stars, and some were
just there for the moment. Joe never failed us. Joe was
always there. I never met him but today I know he would
be a person I would enjoy spending the day with. A true
hero that endured for 50 years or so. A hero independent
of his time.
I really believe we need more heros
without feet of clay. Just great people with a vision.
"Jolting Joe" where did you go?
~ "Old Rupe"
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