Happened across this memory while sorting through boxes of papers and pictures the other day.

Minnie signed this photo for me a dozen years ago.

In a box filled with stuff, we happened across this picture of a childhood baseball hero. I met Minnie at a business conference where he’d been invited to sign autographs. Autograph collecting is not something I normally do, but I took the opportunity to meet a guy with a cool baseball name.

As a then Yankee fan, I was familiar with Minnie’s name and baseball skill whenever the Sox played the Yankees … I knew Minnie could be a dangerous adversary.

Minnie Minoso played for the Chicago White Sox as they finished in second or third place in the years before they went to the Series in 1959. Ironically, Minnie was traded to the Cleveland Indians for that year.

Last year, a New York Times writer crusaded for Minnie as a Hall of Famer with this article, “Making the case for Minnie Minoso.”

I don’t remember what Minnie and I talked about that day when he had time to talk; I do remember that he has a cool name and he was on an enemy team … then.

 – BLL