My first game was in the old Arlington Stadium in like 91. I went with my little league team after our season. We saw them play the Tigers. Before the game we were in our seats watching warmups and Sparky Anderson is in the outfield talking to some players and coaches. He's got a bucket of balls.
Before he heads to the dugout a group of us get his attention and he comes over to talk and sign a few autographs. He takes a handful of balls signs them and then tosses them up to all the people around us. There's a small girl in the group of fans and he tried to make sure she got a ball. First one he tosses up, she drops and it falls between the bleachers and the outfield wall. He's got one ball left and he tells everyone around to let her catch it everyone says ok. I'm standing next to her and I know that as soon as that ball is thrown I'm gonna make a play on it. I do and as I have it in my hands and older guy had the same idea as me and he knocks it out of my hand and it falls.
Sparky Anderson loses his ever loving shit over this and proceeds to curse out a 12 year old me like I ran over his dog. Nobody has ever spoken to me like that before or really since. The MFd me up one side and down the other. I'm 12. I dont know how long it lasted but 30seconds or so. I looked over and my best friend looked like I was heading to the executioner. I sat there in a daze the rest of the game. Don't know who won.
Go Rangers.