When: June 17, 1979 at Comiskey Park
Box Score:
Who: Me and my Dad
What:
Road trip from Eau Claire, WI to San Antonio, TX. School had just ended for me, so my dad drove up from his home in San Antonio to pick me up so we could go back to Texas together. My dad and I used to take little trips together. Just a guys weekend or overnighter. However, once my parents divorced those trips weren’t really possible any more. So this opportunity to spend time with my dad was a really big deal for me. Our drive was to include a game in Chicago while also stopping in Memphis to see the home of Elvis Presley, Graceland.
Why this game?
Tom Poquette, of course! TP was the only big league player ever to come out of Eau Claire, WI. This season we saw him play, TP was at the peak of his career. Coming off an All-Rookie campaign with the Kansas City Royals, he had been traded to the Red Sox at the beginning of the 1979 season. So naturally my dad and I scheduled our trip with two goals: see Tom Poquette play and to try to meet him afterward. Oh yeah, we would also see Hall of Famer’s such as Carlton Fisk and Jim Rice.
The Day
At that time, the neighborhood surrounding Comiskey Park was not exactly known for its warm and inviting citizenry. I remember pulling into a “parking area” where the first price was $10. Then there was an “optional” upgrade cost of another $10 for which the individual in the parking lot promised he wouldn’t throw a concrete block through the car window. Obviously, we chose the upgraded parking fee.
Welcome to Comiskey Park!