Johngy Meets the Hitman

When I was in Los Angeles to interview Rick Monday for Global Traveler magazine, I also had a chance to talk to coach Mike Easler. I asked him about his favorite city and he named Pittsburgh, citing the downtown area and the eateries. Fellow coach Larry Bowa questioned (mocked?) Easler's choice of Pittsburgh. Naturally, I had to include Bowa in the interview. It can be found here on YouTube.
A few years before that, Easler was nice enough to sign a few cards for me through the mail. I offered him more to keep and ended up sending him a good supply for his own use.
When I saw him at the Ultimate Collectibles Show in Oaks (PA) last year, he didn't remember the interview, but he did remember the extra cards I sent. He thanked me again and I said I had been a long-time fan despite his usual prowess against my beloved Cubs. We had a good laugh about that.
I really liked Easler (some might say he was too good to be on my favorites list, but I digress). Easler tallied 1078 hits over his 14 year career. Unfortunately for him, his first full season was when he was already 29. Still, for about a seven year period (beginning with that first full season), Easler was pretty darn good and pretty feared.
As a side bit of trivia, Easler is married to Brenda, who is Cliff Johnson's sister. Easler has stated that she spent a lot of time pitching to him ("although she didn't have a good breaking ball", according to Easler). He's truly one of the good guys.

Mike Easler and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Happy Days with My Sister and Erin Moran

Last year, I crammed a lot into a 4 day road trip. It was exhausting, but fun and productive.
I helped my sister Nancy move my niece Laura to New York for school. On the way, I stopped at the world headquarters of Global Traveler magazine in Yardley (PA). A few of us went to a Phillies game (Phils lost). The next day, I attended the Ultimate Collectibles Show in Oaks (PA).
At the show, we ran into Erin Moran, who we grew up watching grow up on tv's Happy Days. Moran is always in a good mood at these shows. I think she likes meeting the other celebrities as much as the attendees do.
Moran knows all about Johngy's Beat from the first time I met her a couple years back. This time, she did a promo for us, which can be found in the "Testimonials" column on the right side.
It was just one more reason why the trip was excellent. Even my sister got a bit of a kick out of meeting Moran (and a few others), while attending her first such convention.
Sadly, as I was writing this, I heard of the death of Tom Bosley, Erin's tv dad.  The guest book for Bosley can be found here at Legacy.com.

Erin Moran, Nancy Blais and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Tammy Sytch and Her Slammy

Tammy Sytch has had an outstanding career in pro wrestling. Sytch is a future lock for the WWE Hall of Fame.
Sytch has experienced massive popularity which even carried over into the main stream. She has also experienced some personal woes and has been honest and open about her life.
Above all, Sytch is good to her fans. She truly is a fan favorite. Sytch is always friendly, talkative and willing to pose for pictures. Sytch has also been known to remember people she meets at conventions. Sytch remembered me a couple times and I have seen her recall others and specific details, too.
Last October, I unexpectedly ran into her at the Ultimate Collectibles Show. As usual, she had a buzz around her booth. Then I saw one of her Slammy Awards. This was my chance to hold a genuine Slammy and I was not going to miss it.
A Slammy Award is an award presented by the WWE for various achievements. There have been several incarnations of the concept. Sytch won her two Slammy Awards in 1996.
I might never hold a Heisman or a Hall of Fame plaque. Now, thanks to Sytch, I have felt the excitement of holding a Slammy!

Tammy Sytch, a Slammy award and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Terri Runnels Poses with Erin Moran, Bernie Parent and Johngy

The 2009 Ultimate Collectibles Show was such a blast. There were so many celebrities (wrestlers, actors, athletes and other notables). It was awesome to meet them, but also pretty cool to watch them interact with each other.
I met Terri Runnels there again. We talked for a bit and joked about Jay Leno. She even agreed to do a video promo for Johngy's Beat.
Later during the event, I saw Runnels posing with Erin Moran (of tv's Happy Days). Then I saw Runnels posing with NHL Hall of Famer Bernie Parent. I also saw Runnels with several others, including several of her former wrestling cohorts. Despite her interest in posing with celebs, I must admit that the picture of Runnels and me below was requested by me however, not her.
Runnels wasn't the only celebrity to pose with other celebs. I think it is pretty cool to see such intermixing. I also like that the celebs, whom I like to meet, also like to meet celebs.
I have to say that yours truly was even requested for a photo. Michele Mupo (aka Fuchsia) asked me for a picture of the two of us. Of course, I also wanted one, since this was our first meeting. I guess it just means you'll never know who you might see posing together at a convention.

Terri Runnels and Erin Moran in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Terri Runnels and Bernie Parent in Oaks, PA-October 2009

Terri Runnels and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

The Hulk was Incredible

Every year, I look forward to the Motor City Comic Con. They have a lot of interesting celebrities and sometimes even more interesting attendees.
Last year, I ran into the Hulk. I hear that I wouldn't like him when he is angry, but he seemed quite friendly when I asked him to pose for a picture. He even hammed it up a bit for the shot.
He's no Aquaman, but he is incredible or at least that's what I hear. Unfortunately, I did not see him morph back into his alter ego or maybe I did and didn't notice him in the crowd.
This Hulk is just one of the many guests who really have a good time at the MCCC. I have not gone the costume route and I will not be donning superhero tights this year either. Still, I enjoy seeing others dress up.

The Hulk in Novi, MI-May 2009.

Cubs Killer, Steve Rogers

Steve Rogers pitched his entire 13 year career for the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals). He had a career record of 158-152 with 2 saves. He was a much better pitcher than that record indicates, as he made five All-Star teams.
When I met Rogers last year, I joked with him that he always seemed to beat my beloved Cubs. In fact, he was 21-13 during his career against the Cubs. Rogers joked that he was just lucky, but did seem to be in the groove a lot against the Cubs.
I don't think the Washington Nationals recognize the retired numbers of the Expos. Either way, it is unfortunate that Rogers does not have his number retired by the club. He is clearly the best pitcher the team has ever had.

Steve Rogers and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Tim Kerr, Another Great Flyer

Tim Kerr played 14 seasons in the NHL, the first twelve with the Philadelphia Flyers. Kerr was an undrafted free agent who went on to score 50 goals four times (a Flyers record).
In the 1985-86 season, he scored 58 goals, 34 of which came on the power play (an NHL record). During the 1984-85 season, he scored 3 powerplay goals in a period (an NHL record). He also once scored 4 goals in a period in a playoff game (shares the NHL record).
When I met Kerr, he was all smiles and having a good time at the show. It's good to be Kerr, especially in Philly, but retired hockey players always seem to be smiling.
I talked to Kerr for a while. He seemed more interested in meeting the fans and talking to some of the other ex-hockey players (like Kenny Linseman and Brian Propp), than in collecting cash for signed photos.
I told Kerr I wish we had him in Chicago for all of those years. He replied that we had some pretty good teams, but he was happy to play in Philly. Then we talked a bit about his businesses, which include PowerPlay Realty and the Pensacola Ice Flyers hockey team.
Kerr was typical of the celebrity guests at the Ultimate Collectibles Show. Everyone there seemed to be having a great time, which made every fan have a great time.

Tim Kerr and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Out of the Ring with Gerry Cooney

Gerry Cooney was 28-3 during his professional boxing career, although one of his losses was during a comeback attempt. Cooney was ranked #53 on Ring magazine's "100 Greatest Punchers of All Time" list.
Cooney was a real pleasure to meet. He was talkative and outgoing with everyone. I didn't even know he was going to be at the show, but he was hard to miss.
You know I am always fascinated with heights. Cooney was listed as 6'6". I'd have to say that was pretty accurate. He is a big guy. He's one of those guys who just looks powerful. You probably can't tell by looking at the photo, but his fists were big (and I bet they could put quite a hurting onto you).

Gerry Cooney and me in Oaks, PA-October 2010.

Johngy and Inky

Midway through the 2009 baseball season, Pete Incaviglia was passed by Raul Ibanez for most home runs by a player whose last name begins with the letter "I". Inky had 206 lifetime homers, while Ibanez has 216 and counting. Inky's #2 spot is relatively safe, as Brandon Inge is the closest active player behind him with 123 homers.
Inky was listed at 6'1" and 225 pounds. Usually, those stats are somewhat inflated, but in this case they seem deflated. I know the picture doesn't show it, but Inky seemed to be more than two inches taller than me.
Watching him on tv, I always thought he was even bigger. Maybe it is just my perception. He always just seemed like a big dude.
I also didn't realize he played so much outfield as opposed to DH, despite being in the AL for most of his career. He was a DH for only 150 games, as opposed to playing over 1,000 in the outfield.
In either case, Incaviglia was a nice guy. There was some confusion over his times and tickets and other stuff, but he still took time to talk to me for a brief bit. We talked about him playing for Philadelphia in the 1993 World Series and later playing in Japan. He had a long and interesting career.

Pete Incaviglia and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Knobbs + Sags=Nasty Boys

A while ago, I wrote about meeting Brian Knobbs at the ill-fated Kokomo (IN) show. Knobbs is quite a character. Still, I walked away feeling I was missing something. Last October, I realized what I had missed. I missed Jerry Sags, Brian Knobbs' partner in the Nasty Boys.
The Nasty Boys have been a highly successful tag team in professional wrestling for almost 25 years. Actually, Sags and Knobbs have been together since childhood.
They are a rarity in wrestling, as they have never turned on each other in the ring. They have gone the singles route at times, but never as a result of a turn against the other.
I would have loved to get an interview with them, but merely getting them together for a photo was a chore. These guys were having a lot of fun, goofing with everyone. It made meeting them a bit of a challenge, but it made watching them a whole lot of fun.

Brian Knobbs, Jerry Sags and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Ken Linseman of the Rat Patrol

Another hockey player, another great guy. This time it was Kenny Linseman at the Ultimate Collectibles Show, which was held in Oaks (PA), just north of Philadelphia. Linseman is still a fan favorite in the Philly area.
Linseman started his career with the Birmingham Bulls of the old WHA. After one season, he joined the Philadelphia Flyers, where he played for four seasons (although it seemed like much more). After the Flyers, he spent 7.5 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins, before rejoining the Flyers for one more season. Another year with Edmonton and one final year with the Toronto Maple Leafs would close out Linseman's excellent career. Linseman won a Stanley Cup with the Oilers and lost in the finals once each with the Flyers and Bruins.
His first stay in Philadelphia ended after the 1981-82 season. At the show, you would have thought he was part of a Stanley Cup winner last season. the fans could not get enough of Linseman and he seemed to return that feeling for them.
When I asked him about all of it, he just said, "Isn't this great?". Yeah, it is great. It's great that the fans appreciate Linseman and it is even greater that he appreciates them. Linseman looked like he was having a blast.
Once again, I have to point out that Linseman was listed as 5'11" and 180 pounds during his playing days. He seems a bit lighter, although still in excellent shape. He also seemed about 5'9". It's hard to believe that he played 16 seasons (860 games) of outstanding hockey at his size.

Kenny Linseman and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

The Grave Digger Richie Hebner

The Ultimate Collectors Show was held in Oaks (PA), which is fairly close north of Philadelphia. Richie Hebner spent two seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and eleven across the state with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent the last two seasons of his 18 year career with my Chicago Cubs.
Hebner was a very popular player wherever he went. Having spent so long playing for Pennsylvania teams, Hebner was especially popular in this region. He drew a large line at the show.
I did surprise him though, when I told him my best memories of him occurred during his stint with the Cubs. I usually liked players better when they played in Chicago, but Hebner had the extra rub of being a part of the 1984 NL East division champs.
Hebner laughed and said he was proud to contribute to that team and be a part of that experience. He had been to the playoffs before, even winning a World Series in Pittsburgh in 1971, but helping the Cubs to their first playoff appearance since 1945 was a great memory.
I told him it was a great memory for Cubs fan, too. I thanked him for his part. He was a super nice guy. I can see why he was so popular during his career.

Richie Hebner and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Brian Mitchell:Hall of Famer?

When Brian Mitchell retired from football after the 2003 season, he was the all-time leader in all-purpose yards. (He has since been passed by Jerry Rice, the Hall of Fame receiver.) The question is, will Mitchell have a shot at the Hall?
Mitchell gained 23,316 total yards in his career. The problem is that approximately 19,000 of those yards came from punt and kick returns (of which he is the career leader in each). He only gained a little over 4,000 yards on offense.
He also holds 19 NFL records and is tied for one more. Does this merit a Hall of Fame induction?
I am a Hall elitist, but I say Mitchell deserves enshrinement. I have my doubts that he will get the honor however, especially considering that other deserving players (like Ray Guy, the best punter ever) have been excluded.
When I met Mitchell at the Ultimate Collectibles Show, I talked to him about his career and the Hall of Fame. Mitchell was modest, but said his numbers will speak for themselves and it is up to the judges to decide. I told him I would give him the nod.
I understand he was a specialist, but football needs to recognize that special teams are part of the game and should get the same attention as offense and defense. Kicker Jan Stenerud is really the only pure special teams player to be in Canton.
I don't know if Mitchell will ever get the call, but he is a Hall of Famer to Johngy's Beat.

Brian Mitchell and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Divas on Display

One cool part of conventions is when the celebrity guests mingle with each other. This usually presents photo opportunities featuring rare combinations of celebs. I actually stumbled into one such occasion at the Ultimate Collectibles Show in Oaks (PA).

I had basically finished all of my work and was meandering towards the exit. The aisle in front of me was unusually clogged. I thought a big new celeb had arrived.
As I worked my way through the mob, I saw seven wrestling divas (past and present) assembled for a group photo. As I explained earlier, this was a rare chance to get a group photo of so many divas from the WWE, WCW and TNA. The ladies gladly posed as fan after fan captured the moment. Everyone wanted to get a picture of this Diva All-Star team.

Stacy Carter, Traci Brooks, Christy Hemme, Jackie Gayda-Haas, ODB, Georgie Frankenstein and SoCal Val in Oaks, PA-October 2010.

Rick Steiner:The Dog-Faced Gremlin

Rick Steiner was an excellent wrestler at the University of Michigan. George Steele introduced Steiner into the world of pro wrestling a world Steiner entered following college.
Steiner wrestled in a few organizations before really making his mark in the NWA in 1988. The next year, his brother Scott joined him in the NWA. Despite moving through several organizations, they stayed together (although wrestling as a tag-team and as singles) for most of the next 13 years. Steiner experienced the bulk of his success tag-teaming with Scott, but he still had an excellent singles career.
Steiner was known for wearing amateur wrestling headgear to the ring. He also usually wore a Michigan letterman's jacket, even during his time as a heel.

He is currently a member of the Cherokee County School District. Obviously, Steiner is a bright man who cares about his community. I mistakenly asked him about being a teacher, but he was very polite in correctly me. (I am grateful he did not give me the Steiner-line.)
I did recover a bit by joking that he probably would never use that affiliation as part of his ring introduction. He got a little kick out of that.

Steiner was actually taller than I expected and he looked great. I am happy that he appears to be one wrestler who seems to be doing well as he nears retirement from the ring.

Rick Steiner and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

A Little Gratitude for Bill Apter

Bill Apter is probably the best and most well-known journalist of professional wrestling. From the 70's until the mid 90's, Apter was the king of wrestling news. Apter delivered stories without destroying the secrecy of wrestling.
Currently, Apter works for WrestlingFigs.com and is a contributor to several publications. He is also a frequent guest at wrestling-related fan conventions. I have met Apter at two such events.
I first met Apter in St. Petersburg (FL) during the first Wrestlers Reunion. This was the great event where Laurie and I met Roddy Piper, Mick Foley and so many other great wrestlers.
The event was awesome, but there were some difficulties due to it being the first event. Laurie and I mentioned a few problems to Apter at the event. He did his best to eliminate the issues, but it was when he checked back with us the next day that he really won our respect. That was such a nice and genuine gesture on his part.
I met Apter again at the Ultimate Collectibles Show in Oaks (PA). He was not listed as a guest. I think he just attended because a bunch of other wrestlers were there.
When I saw Apter, I took the opportunity to thank him for his effort and his kindness at the Reunion show. Apter seemed touched by the memory and gratitude.
Apter has never stepped into action inside the ring (at least I don't think he has), but has certainly left his mark (no pun intended) on the business.

Bill Apter and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Bear Down Sunday #16

The Chicago Bears are finishing a disappointing season today with a game against the Detroit Lions, who at 2-13 are improved over last season's 0-16 mark. The Bears took a step backwards from last season and now stand at 6-9. Both teams have exciting young quarterbacks. Today I am featuring a former Lions quarterback, who made his name as a great backup.
In 21 seasons in the NFL, Morrall started every game in a regular season just twice, earning him the title of the greatest backup quarterback ever. Despite that title, Morrall had plenty of moments to shine. He was a two time Pro Bowl selection, three time Super Bowl champion, the 1972 Comeback Player of the Year and the 1968 MVP. When Morrall retired after the 1976 season, he was the oldest QB ever to start and win an NFL game. Doug Flutie and Vinny Testaverde have since eclipsed Morrall's record.
When I met Morrall at the Ultimate Collectibles Show he was as polite and gracious as any star I have ever met. I mentioned his card was in the first pack of football cards I ever bought. He was surprised that I remembered. Later, I walked past Morrall in the lobby area and he went out of his way to greet me again and thanked me for stopping by to see him. What a class act.

Earl Morrall and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Propps to Brian Propp

Brian Propp had an excellent 15 year career in the NHL. He played mostly with the Philadelphia Flyers and is still a favorite in Philly despite being traded to Boston 20 years ago.
It is always special for me to meet hockey players. On average, they just seem a little more appreciative to their fans and Propp was no different when I met him at the Ultimate Collectibles Show. Propp was having a good time with ex-teammates Kenny Linseman and Tim Kerr. However, whenever any fan approached any of them, that fan got complete attention. It was cool to see.
When I approached Propp, I asked him a few questions about his career. Propp (like most ex-NHL players) was happy to discuss his playing days and to tell a few stories.
Propp is ranked in the top 50 points scorers in NHL history. While he probably will not make the Hall of Fame, he is a Hall of Fame guy.

Brian Propp and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Bear Down Sunday #15

The Chicago Bears host the Minnesota Vikings today. Both teams lost last week, but Vikings (11-3) will be in the playoffs, while the Bears (5-9) are in disarray. When the Bears won Super Bowl XX, their defense was a major reason and Buddy Ryan was the man in charge of it.
Before Ryan put together the famed 46 defense (named after Doug Plank) for the Bears, he spent two years with the Vikings as their Defensive Coordinator. Ryan had a big hand in the dominating "Purple People Eaters" defense of Minnesota. He was a defensive genius.
Ryan wasn't as successful in stints as a head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals. He retired from football after the Cardinals fired him. He now breeds horses on his farm in Kentucky.
Ryan wasn't very talkative when I met him at the Ultimate Collectibles Show. He did perk up a bit when I mentioned I was from Chicago and thanked him for his part in the Super Bowl. Either way, I am glad I met Ryan. The man deserves my respect after being so critical in the success for the best Bears team I have ever watched.

Buddy Ryan and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.

Blue Meanie Looks Happy

Brian Heffron started wrestling in Al Snow's gym in 1994. Within a couple years, Heffron joined ECW and took the moniker the Blue Meanie (taking the name and persona of the villain in the Beatles animated movie Yellow Submarine). The Blue Meanie would eventually make his way into the WWE, back to ECW and back to WWE.
Often times, the Blue Meanie was involved in the more comedic side of wrestling (which some would say is most of it). He has won a few indy titles and was ranked #500 (of the top 500 active wrestlers) by Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 2003.
When I met Blue Meanie at the Ultimate Collectibles Show, he was true to his reputation. He was a blast. He was very glad to joke and pose with people. He seemed excited to be there and happy to be around the other stars. It is always more fun when the celeb is having fun and Blue Meanie was certainly having fun.

The Blue Meanie and me in Oaks, PA-October 2009.