Last Game at Roosenblatt
Kurt Mertins, Omaha Royals
Tribute to 1992 Upper Deck
by Goose Joak
Photo of Kurt Mertins is courtesy of Minda Haas. Aside from Kila and Moose, Kurt was our go-to guy this year at Roosenblatt. Word from the PR team is that he's a pretty nice guy, too. We bid on and won a couple of his game used jerseys, with proceeds going to cancer research. Side story, but somehow Tim Collins' pink breast cancer jersey went for $700 (that's $400 higher than Moustakas). Mertins was much less than both of those, I can assure you!
Here's a picture from the final game, as we left the park.
I look pretty happy in the picture. I mean, it was a fun night. I got to share it with my wife and parents, which was great. That said, I choked up a little when we sang the seventh inning stretch acapella style (video at bottom, starting at 1:40). Eesh. You may have had to be there and grow up with it to know what I mean.
That said, I'm really excited about the new park!
I wish I could have been there for that. I have a lot of great memories of the park that date back to 1997 when I saw Lance Berkman hit a home run in Rice's first CWS game. Seems like Rice has been there ever since.
ReplyDeletePlus, in the lone O-Royals home gmae I saw, I got to see a Chris Lubanski walk-off homer in extra innings. It's too bad he never worked out.
I'm looking forward to the CWS next year and I hope the O-Royals (or whatever they will be called by then) will host their first homestand during the CWS in their existance. It would be fun to check out two brand new ballparks on the same trip.
The downtown CWS ballpark is absolutely breathtaking. I have a feeling you'll like it.
ReplyDeleteOooh hey, that's my photo! Looks good in card form...
ReplyDelete