Bret Boone in the Washington Post

by rlintott on Jul 26, 2009 10:29 AM PDT Comment 13 comments

The Washington Post has been doing a phenomenal series called "Set for Life" on retired athletes. Two weeks ago it was a great story of Delino DeShields as a hitting coach in the minors now. This week is on Bret Boone, and it's a really interesting story about his attempted comeback. I've gotta say, it made me pretty sad to read about a guy that I loved while he was with us. He always seemed to be having a ton of fun out there, and he was (for a few years at least) one of the better 2B I've ever seen. So give this a read, and go back and read some of the other articles in the series. They're well worth it.

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Thanks for posting this.

by Garces on Jul 26, 2009 10:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Props for posting this, I really enjoyed the story.

Boonie was one of my favorite players when he was here.

Did you fall in love with Miguel Batista? And he rejected you?

by melenious on Jul 26, 2009 1:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The sidebar on Suzi Boone and her mother in law is also good.

by msb on Jul 26, 2009 4:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

What a crackerjack piece of journalism! And still with that monster chaw in his lip

And good on Boone, there’s some pretty candid comments in that video. Also for getting sober, I used to think he was going to go out like Mickey Mantle.

by Kermit. on Jul 26, 2009 4:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Great story

I know its irrational, but for me its always hard to feel sympathy for people like Bret, even though he was one of my favorite all-time Mariners. I dunno, but with all of his success, his “cocky” attitude, coming from a famous baseball family, all the money he made… All of that stuff just subconsciously makes me think “Oh, he’s just spoiled, he’s fine. Look at how famous he is!”

I remember reading a story a few years ago about him being drunk and beligerant on a golf course, and just thinking “psshh, another rich arrogant guy, thinking he’s better than everyone else. Who does he think he is?”

Stories like this really help me snap out of this whole selfish “celebrity on a pedastal” thing that probably just stems from simple jealousy.

Good for him, and I wish him the best. I had no idea he went through so much pain with the alcohol thing. I’m glad he’s found (or on his way to finding) real closure to this whole thing.

by Karma Police on Jul 26, 2009 5:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Bret Boone...

is the author of my favorite athlete comment of all time. His father-in-law is something of a family friend. He’s a professor and a really good guy. During a family outing, after some offhand comment or other, Bret Boone turned to his father-in-law with a shocked/bemused expression on his face, and said “You don’t still believe in evolution, do you?!”

Apparently his father-in-law hadn’t heard of this new theory called “God.”

Regardless of anyone’s religious affiliation/beliefs, that’s just priceless.

by slamcactus on Jul 26, 2009 5:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh no you di'uhnt

De Gutibus non disputandum est

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jul 26, 2009 7:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boone also led to one of my favorite Ichiro routines...

“I don’t know if it’s a good memory or a bad one,” Ichiro Suzuki said. "But when I first came over to play in the United States, I had had a few teammates from the U.S. who had played on my team in Japan. So I had somewhat of an idea of what American players would be like.

“But when I met him, he was kind of a human being that you would never meet in Japan. So, whenever I was around him, I almost felt like I was witnessing a creature, not a human being. It was fun for me to watch him.”

and then…

“The second half of the season,” Ichiro said, “I could tell he was trying to get the batting title, and I was going for it, too. I told him, ‘There is no way I am going to let you get the batting title.’ It was obvious to me he was definitely going for it.”

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Jul 26, 2009 9:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Larry Stone has said a number of times that Ichiro has missed Boone

“Griffey has worked diligently to help break down the walls between Ichiro and his teammates, and has also developed a personal relationship with Ichiro that displays genuine two-way affection. I think that’s what Ichiro has needed since Bret Boone and Mike Cameron left the team.”

by msb on Jul 26, 2009 11:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs