You never know what or who you are going to find when you visit Seaman Stadium.
Sure, you will always find an atmosphere that makes Seaman Stadium as quaint as Wrigley field, but last week Okotoks’ ball park offered more.
On Thursday, Seaman Stadium welcomed a piece of baseball history in the facility when Dawgs master of ceremonies announced Buddy Biancalana was at the game.
I’m sure my tens of readers are now wondering: “Who the heck is Buddy Biancalana?”
Biancalana was the shortstop for the Kansas City Royals when they won the 1985 World Series. That was the World Series when Don Denkinger booted the call by calling the Royals’ Jorge Orta safe at first base in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Royals would score two runs and win the game 2-1 to the series at three games each.
The Royals would win their only World Series the next night in Game 7 when the Cardinals self-destructed and lost 11-0.
Biancalana was at the Dawgs’ game because his son Bryn Biancalana is the coach of the Edmonton Prospects.
There was no way I was going to let somebody who was part of baseball history get by me. I enthusiastically hunted Buddy down after the game.
“I refer to that as the call that changed my life,” Biancalana said of Denkinger’s call. “How one moment that comes your way can change your life and it did for me -- all of the opportunities that came my way.”
One of those opportunities for Biancalana happened to be getting to appear on Late Night With David Letterman.
Like all the hopelessly single males of the 1980s, I was a big David Letterman fan. WhenI told Biancalana I remembered him on Letterman when they showed highlights with Carly Simon singing “Nobody Does it Better” of his numerous walks in the ‘85 Series, he had a look on his face that said:
A) “Wow, what a memory on this guy. I am impressed.” or
B) “Where is security when you need them?”
“Letterman was great,” Biancalana said. “He was shy off camera, but when things are rolling, he takes over.”
(I had forgottenLetterman had held a Buddy Biancalana countdown to Ty Cobb’s record for most career hits in satire to Pete Rose’s chase for Cobb’s record in 1985. When Biancalana appeared on Letterman, he quipped, “I’m closer to Cobb than you are to Carson.” Thankfully,I didn’t try to trade wits with the former Royal shortstop.)
Biancalana “only” played 18 more months in the Major Leagues after the Royals’ 1985 triumph.
But during that World Series he played the best ball of his life, hitting .278, five hits, five walks and five RBI. He was flawless in the infield at shortstop, just steps away from hall-of-fame third baseman George Brett.
“I had a ‘zone’ experience in the ‘85 Series,”he said. “That was the best ball I ever played in my life --Little League included. I didn’t know how to repeat it and 18 months later I was out of the Major Leagues.”
Biancalana and his business partner have established PMPM Sports Zone Training to help athletes get into the zone. They are currently working with six professional sports.
With all due respect to the only guy I have ever interviewed who has been on Letterman, I hope none of the other teams in the WMBL who may meet the Dawgs in the playoffs have taken his training.
That would be a Royal pain in the...
Thanks to the Dawgs I have been able to meet John Shelby, who won the World Series in 1983 with the O’s and 1988 with the Dodgers and now Biancalana. Now, I want them to invite Pat Gillick, former Blue Jays GM who was inducted to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on Saturday.
Gillick has foothills ties. Apparently he was a catcher in Vulcan back in the days of all those Rhodes playing for Champion.
If Gillick does show up toSeaman Stadium, don’t invite Biancalana.
After all, it was Biancalana and the Kansas City Royals who beat Gillick’s BlueJays in the American League Championship Series in 1985 to cost them a trip to the World Series with the Cards.
And maybe cost a Jay a trip to Late Night With Letterman.
