Chapter 2005
Baseball’s Back!
In August 1969, I had the chance to try on Hondo’s jersey. It was bigger than I was! I watched him play on Opening Day twice, coach on Opening Day three times, and on August 26, 2016, was on hand when he was inducted into the Ring of Honor at Nationals Park. Thanks to the trusting support of broadcaster and baseball historian Phil Wood, I was able to recreate in 2021 that jersey experience, wearing one of Frank’s actual 1969 road jerseys while visiting his statue outside Nationals Park.
The line was too long to meet Frank “Hondo” Howard on Autograph Day 1969. I would spend the rest of my life following his career as a player, coach, manager, and legend, from his memorable blast during the final game of the Washington Senators in 1971 to his emotional return during the Washington Nationals pre-game ceremonies on Opening Night 2005. There was no line in May 2022 when I finally met my hero. A childhood dream come true.
“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. Baseball has marked the time. This … game is part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that is good and could be again.” [From Terrence Mann’s exhortation to Ray Kinsella, Field of Dreams (1989)]
