6 Degrees to a Major Leaguer

[jcarwash31]

....or less and it can be any major sport.

Here are mine:

A first cousin of mine is from Jamestown, ND and one of his friends in high school was Darin Erstad - 1st baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem.

My 8th grade basketball coach was a minor league baseball player in the Giants system. While playing for the Burlington Bees, he was a teammate of Deivi Cruz, who is now with the San Francisco Giants.

I played college baseball at the U of MN-Morris. Kerry Ligtenberg played there for 2 years. We had the same coach, who I am sure wasn't a good coach then either...in other words, he sucked as a coach. Ligtenberg now pitches for the Blue Jays.

[frizgolf]

My sister sold a car to Ken Griffey's brother.
My uncle went out with Carolyn before she met Pete Rose and became his first wife.
My friend's half sister is Carmen Electra. Met her when she was Tara Patrick, when she was about age 12. And she married that one basketball player dude.

[captain canuck]

[QUOTE=jcarwash31 . Ligtenberg now pitches for the Blue Jays.[/QUOTE]


pretty sure he got released.

lets see what do i have....my 3rd cousin was drafted 20th overall by the edmonton oilers only player about 9 games for them and the sabres (Scott Metcalfe)

His younger brother was drafted 270th i think by the Vancouver Canucks...now plays in the ECHL in alabama or somewhere (Jason Metcalfe)

Went to high school for one year with Bates Battaglia, come up thru the Hurricanes organization...now with the capitals i think...he was in my gym class, we played dodgeball( I always want to go to a game with a sign that says "Bates is the Master")

[Artpunchehorse]

I watch them on television. Most of the time while I'm drunk

[Jonathan]

1. Me
2. My old roommate
3. The guy who once stopped by the house, trying to sell him Amway stuff, who happens to be the brother of...
4. Stuart Scott

:eek:

[crazybob60]

Ok, here's one instance. Went to school at Union College for tennis. Played intramural basketball with and also the same guy lived across the hall from me (always in trouble with the law btw) started off at the University of Michigan playing football in 1993. On that same team was the likes of Brian Griese, Amani Toomer, Tim Biakabklsefjasifjfda, and several others.

[The Sheck]

1. Me
2. My dad
3. Ahmad Rashad, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Jim Marshall.

(Vikings fans should know what's up). ;)

[crazybob60]

I've mentioned this in other threads too...

Me, played several different sports with my friend throughout middle and high school, his dad played basketball at Univ. of Minnesota with Dave Winfield.

[afterdinnerman]

A buddy from high school played the linebacker dude on that 'Playmakers' show, but that probably doesn't count.

[FOBAgain]

1. Went to high school with Marc Edwards, fullback, currently with the Chicago Bears, formerly with Jacksonville, New England (Super Bowl ring in '01, I believe), Cleveland and San Francisco.

2. My wife went to school with Washington Redskins' OT Jon Jansen's wife... which resulted in some pretty sweet seats one Sunday a couple years ago! :)

[the happy prole]

I played in this fraternity wiffleball event and our team played against Curtis Pride (currently with the Nationals, career pinch-runner).

My roommate's girlfriend (at the time) was roommates with the daughter of Marvin Demoff who is a big-time sports agent (Elway, Marino).

I played tennis against Michael Chang once.

[sabos_glasses]

I played tennis against Michael Chang once.

Under what circumstances?

[the happy prole]

Painful and embarrasing?

It was a USTA junior event. I drew him in the first round of a tournament that I was extremely lucky to qualify for, and that he really had no business playing (not that he cheated, just he normally wouldn't bother such a pissant event).

I got to play a rally or two with Becker, Sabatini and a few others from being a ballboy at a few events.

[sabos_glasses]

Wow, neat. Even if painful, at least it makes for a good story.

[The_Deacon]

Wow, neat. Even if painful, at least it makes for a good story.
I destroyed a calf muscle play co ed softball,,,,,how is that for a story :p

[The Hegemo]

Dave Parker and Marge Schott both used to shop at the Kroger's store where I worked. He was a lot friendlier than she was.

[Kaj]

My mom dated Don Mattingly before she met my dad.

[RedRigmaJacket]

i played in the minors for two seasons in akron so i got to meet a lot of the guys.

[rcc94]

My great uncle was friends growing up in Akron with Ara Parseghian, was his roommate at Miami, and I believe they were best man at each other's weddings.

My kindergarten teacher's son played at the University of Tennessee from 1983-86 where he played with Reggie White and Tim McGee, among others.

[sabos_glasses]

I destroyed a calf muscle play co ed softball,,,,,how is that for a story :p

um, awful.

[Artpunchehorse]

I played in this fraternity wiffleball event and our team played against Curtis Pride (currently with the Nationals, career pinch-runner).

My roommate's girlfriend (at the time) was roommates with the daughter of Marvin Demoff who is a big-time sports agent (Elway, Marino).

I played tennis against Michael Chang once.
Pride is the deaf dude, right?

[sabos_glasses]

Pride is the deaf dude, right?

Didn't he also run THROUGH an outfield wall in the minors?

[Artpunchehorse]

Didn't he also run THROUGH an outfield wall in the minors?

Rodney McCray?

[sabos_glasses]

Rodney McCray?

ah, yes, that's who I was thinking of. wow.

[chuxxter]

My co-worker lives next door to Jason Marquis of the Cardinals.My brother went to High School for one year with Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar for all you kids out there). I once shared a plane ride with John Calipari former coach of the New Jersey Nets.

[FOBAgain]

I once shared a plane ride with John Calipari former coach of the New Jersey Nets.

Is he as slimy looking in person as he is on TV? :p (Hey, by coaching Memphis, he's practically a sworn enemy of mine as a UC fan :D )

I've always thought it was too bad he didn't kick John Chaney's ass back in his A-10 days.

[Artpunchehorse]

Is he as slimy looking in person as he is on TV? :p (Hey, by coaching Memphis, he's practically a sworn enemy of mine as a UC fan :D )

I've always thought it was too bad he didn't kick John Chaney's ass back in his A-10 days.

I gave Bobby Valentine directions to Cinergy Field when it was being all ripped up. He had no clue how to get to it. I then told him I loved when he put the glasses and mustache on.

[Handy Smurf]

I used to work for former Bengals TE Eric Kattus



my friend Brain has a ton of these
At a Reds game he has sat: right next to Marvin Lewis, across the aisle from Evander Hollyfield
Literally bumped into Griffey Jr. coming out of Pigall's downtown
Sat next to Oscar Robinson and Marvin Lewis at the bar at the Boathouse
His dad sat next to Muhammad Ali on a plane

[chuxxter]

Is he as slimy looking in person as he is on TV? :p (Hey, by coaching Memphis, he's practically a sworn enemy of mine as a UC fan :D )

I've always thought it was too bad he didn't kick John Chaney's ass back in his A-10 days.
I actually thought he got a raw deal with the Nets. No talent team fires coach etc etc.... Not slimy looking at all.

[monkey neck]

Ickey Woods tried to sell meat to my mother-in-law.

[jcarwash31]

Ickey Woods tried to sell meat to my mother-in-law.
Did he try the Ickey Shuffle? That would have sealed the deal.

[summerteeth]

-Paul O'Neill's son plays in an AAU basketball league at the rec center where I work, so he comes in sometimes.

-I sat the bench while former Cincinnati Red Ricky Stone 1 hit our varsity baseball team.

-a buddy of mine used to hang out with US soccer hottie Heather Mitts in grade school

edited to add a couple more:

-when I worked @ UC Bookstore, i helped a few players, including Danny Fortson, get their books

-while @ the Hofbrauhaus, my cousin shot down Adam Dunn's repeated attempts to get her to have sex with him

[chuxxter]

-when I worked @ UC Bookstore, i helped a few players, including Danny Fortson, get their books


Wait a minute!! College basketball players actually got books!! What a concept! :p :D

[monkey neck]

Did he try the Ickey Shuffle? That would have sealed the deal.

She would have bought it, but after the shuffle, he spiked the meat onto the ground. Old habits die hard, I guess.

[summerteeth]

Wait a minute!! College basketball players actually got books!! What a concept! :p :Di was waiting for someone to say that!! they had a list of books to get that the athletic office had printed out for them. from talking to Fortson, he was among the more well-spoken players (along with Rod Monroe).

[Stoock]

My buddy let Julian Tavares live with him when JT's apartment lease was up in '94. He lived with "Uncle Bobby" until traded to the Giants. JT was dating my buddy's niece at the time. The aforementioned buddy went to most every game 94-96 free (including the World Series). Julian backed our softball team one year.
I met Manny Ramirez through that arrangement as well.
Once before one of our games, Albert Belle was watching his girlfriend's team play before our game.

A girl from my Miami days went to high school with Bernie Kosar.

My Lovely Bride's aunt is a nun with her own Topps Baseball card. (Or is it Upper Deck?) She was the nun in the film Major League.

and lastly..
My brother's third ex wife is Darren Dreifort's cousin (LA Dodgers, on the DL)

[jcarwash31]

-while @ the Hofbrauhaus, my cousin shot down Adam Dunn's repeated attempts to get her to have sex with him
Oooh, you reminded me of another one. One of my fiancee's best friends from high school hooked up (not all the way hooked up, but I understand there may have been some hanky panky) with Moe Williams of the Vikings at a night club in Minneapolis.

[summerteeth]

while @ the Hofbrauhaus, my cousin shot down Adam Dunn's repeated attempts to get her to have sex with himto quote myself (lame, i know), i guess Adam Dunn even strikes out off the field....

[Jonathan]

Ickey Woods tried to sell meat to my mother-in-law.
I thought I was the only one with an "Ickey Woods selling meat" story. Did your mother-in-law live in Wyoming, by any chance?

[Jonathan]

Dave Parker and Marge Schott both used to shop at the Kroger's store where I worked. He was a lot friendlier than she was.
That doesn't surprise me.

One time, I won a contest to be a batboy for the Reds. Got to go on the field during BP, uniform, autographs, threw out the first pitch, the whole deal (although, in my young mind, I somehow got it into my head that I was actually going to pitch for the Reds - ha!). Anyway, my little brother was, as you might expect, insanely jealous of all the attention I was getting.

At any rate, Dave Parker notices this. So he goes over to the stands where my family is, talks to my brother, picks him up and brings him onto the field, poses for pictures, signs his autograph, everything. He didn't have to do any of it, especially since he was technically at work at the time, but he did anyway.

So Dave Parker is a hero in my family.

[jcarwash31]

That doesn't surprise me.

One time, I won a contest to be a batboy for the Reds. Got to go on the field during BP, uniform, autographs, threw out the first pitch, the whole deal (although, in my young mind, I somehow got it into my head that I was actually going to pitch for the Reds - ha!). Anyway, my little brother was, as you might expect, insanely jealous of all the attention I was getting.

At any rate, Dave Parker notices this. So he goes over to the stands where my family is, talks to my brother, picks him up and brings him onto the field, poses for pictures, signs his autograph, everything. He didn't have to do any of it, especially since he was technically at work at the time, but he did anyway.

So Dave Parker is a hero in my family.
That is a cool story. Way to go Dave Parker.

[Handy Smurf]

to quote myself (lame, i know), i guess Adam Dunn even strikes out off the field....
lame? maybe, but well worth it :p

[Artpunchehorse]

That doesn't surprise me.

One time, I won a contest to be a batboy for the Reds. Got to go on the field during BP, uniform, autographs, threw out the first pitch, the whole deal (although, in my young mind, I somehow got it into my head that I was actually going to pitch for the Reds - ha!). Anyway, my little brother was, as you might expect, insanely jealous of all the attention I was getting.

At any rate, Dave Parker notices this. So he goes over to the stands where my family is, talks to my brother, picks him up and brings him onto the field, poses for pictures, signs his autograph, everything. He didn't have to do any of it, especially since he was technically at work at the time, but he did anyway.

So Dave Parker is a hero in my family.

Was the Cobra coked up?

[Jonathan]

Was the Cobra coked up?
No, this was after he had already quit using, assclown.

Not every post requires a smart-aleck response.

[rcc94]

And I completely forgot that I worked with Dave Popson for a couple of years in the mid 90s.

Jonathan, if no one else, should remember who he is.

[cheesy79]

I played baseketball with Alex Sulfsted (Miami of Ohio grad and a Bengal) at the University of Miami (OH) rec center.

The guy who installed satellite at my dad's house had just come from Ken Griffey Jr's house installing a system.

And, while not related to a player....I got to be on the right field warning track at Yankee Stadium a few years ago.

[jcarwash31]

And, while not related to a player....I got to be on the right field warning track at Yankee Stadium a few years ago.
That's cool. I got to ride the pine at the Metrodome during a college baseball game (two 7 inning games) while I watched our other SS commit 6 errors. I did get to do all my warm ups, throwing, and stretching on the field though and we were in the Twins dugout.

[The Sheck]

Not every post requires a smart-aleck response.

Well, EXCUUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME!!! ;)

[Artpunchehorse]

No, this was after he had already quit using, assclown.

Not every post requires a smart-aleck response.

My bad dude. I'm use to posting on a Stern board that is all ball busting. I apologize if I crossed a line.

[seafoamgreen]

I played air hockey with Terry Harmon from the Philadelphia Phillies. years ago.
My best friend in High schools father was Mike Schmidt's college roomate.
My dad played basketball with Tug McGraw, he watched as i beat Terry Harmon at air hockey.
My dad hit Mike Quick's(Eagle's wide reciever) golf cart with an errant shot.
Smokin Joe Frazier helped me find my parents when i was lost in a hotel. I think i was 7 or 8.

This would be impressive if i still lived in philly...

[Jonathan]

My bad dude. I'm use to posting on a Stern board that is all ball busting. I apologize if I crossed a line.
Thanks for the apology.

Yeah, we're not all ball busting here. Only about half the time. I've crossed that line a time or two myself; we all have.

[analogworld]

i met ken griffey jr at a skyline once when he was eating with his dad and agent like 8 years ago...does that count?

and i once went on a date with tery bradshaw's daughter.

[The Sheck]

and i once went on a date with tery bradshaw's daughter.

What happened there, if you don't mind sharing? :D

[rcc94]

I keep thinking of ones.

I have a friend who went to high school in Wilmington, NC. He made the high school varsity basketball team that Michael Jordan didn't make.

[jcarwash31]

I keep thinking of ones.

I have a friend who went to high school in Wilmington, NC. He made the high school varsity basketball team that Michael Jordan didn't make.
WOW. You're friend is a better basketball player than Michael Jordan. ;) Wasn't Jordan a freshman or something?

[the happy prole]

That reminds me. I met the guy who advised Michael Jordan to quit basketball in high school. They always make it out like the guy was a dream-crusher or something, but he's a real nice guy.

He was the JV-coach at Jordan's high school, and I think he played basketball and baseball in college himself. He said it was obvious Jordan was not going to make varsity basketball that year. And it was equally obvious that Jordan was an awesome baseball player who could at the very least easily obtain a scholarship to college (with a lot more potential than that).

Given that the Jordan family wasn't that wealthy, it was probably the right decision.

[rcc94]

WOW. You're friend is a better basketball player than Michael Jordan. ;) Wasn't Jordan a freshman or something?
Actually he was a sophomore.

[Handy Smurf]

Thanks for the apology.

Yeah, we're not all ball busting here. Only about half the time. I've crossed that line a time or two myself; we all have.
Go to hell with your sentimental bullshit...and the horse you rode in on.




:p

[analogworld]

What happened there, if you don't mind sharing? :D


nothing. we went out. she was kind of a spolied air-head, and i'm not really. but she was into aqualung, so that saved the evening for me. she has one of her dads superbowl rings on her lexus keychain. i think that says it all.

[rcc94]

Again, I keep remembering them.

Richard Shulmistra was friends with my sophomore year roommate and occassionally hung out in our room. He's playing in Europe, now, but he did have one game with the NJ Devils and one with the Florida Panthers.

[richshu]

Richard Shulmistra was friends with my sophomore year roommate and occassionally hung out in our room.

******************


Hey, this is Richard, who was your roommate?

[Breeze]

I have two, actually.

At my first job, the guy in the next cubicle had a son who pitched in the majors; at the time, he was with the Rangers, then got traded to the Red Sox, I believe. His name's John Burkett.

One of my dad's former students from when he taught high school is former major-leaguer--and now the manager for the Red Sox--Terry Francona.

[broadcast]

I'm not exactly sure what this makes him but the son of my father's cousin is Garret Stephenson. Former starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He had a lot of injuries and never really had a good year but he couldn't have been much worse than Jeff Supan.

[fasteddie]

real one -

i grew up with and played high school ball with Jason Johnson, a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians.

funny one -

waay back in the Dark Age of Bengals football, my buddies and I were waiting to get into a restaurant and, lo and behold, there sits David Klingler right beside us. When one of my buddies asked him if he was David Klingler...he wouldnt admit to be being himself. poor guy.

[Homsar]

Pete Rose's ex-wife used to shop at the IGA where I used to work all the time.

[bjk15]

a.p. oughta love this one, even though he is technically not a major leaguer: my wife's boss is good friends with bob huggins' lawyer.
same place, one of my wife's co-workers was dating #85 last year and got us a signed ball.

i guess a legit one: the 2002 #1 overall draft pick by the pirates, bryan bullington, was a frosh when i was a sr. in high school. he didn't pan out, but that ain't my biz.

[bjk15]

i forgot, i've got another one: i went to college in the same hometown, marion, in, as zach randolph (went to MSU and plays for the jailblazers and makes a ton of money) and i worked at the shoestore for a little bit and he and his crew would come in sometimes and thats when our manager "took care of him". i've got some small town stories about him, too, but i ain't sayin' publicly.

[1979]

Played hockey as a kid and graduated with current NHL'er Mark Cullen (Blackhawks, younger brother of Carolina's Matt Cullen).