Quote:
Originally Posted by Déjà Bru
5. Your discovery of the continued existence of 97-year-old Eddie Lautenbacher, last man cut from Cubs spring training at Catalina Island in 1929, his closest chance at ever making the major leagues, who was still alive, kicking, and available for a telephone interview in 2004.
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That was such a fantastic discovery. I sent out a notice to fellow members of the Society for American Baseball Research and got an email from his daughter, Anne Bernini in Napa. She gave me a phone number to call and she answered.
She totally stunned me, after I asked a few questions, when she said, "Would you like to talk with him." Her father was on the line, just as sharp as could be, and talking about how he never forgot how close he got to the majors that spring training 1929." I had no reason to think that he was still living at that time.
What was really neat was that his daughter asked Newsday to call me on the day of his death for a nice news story that they wrote. She told Newsday that I knew more about his baseball career than the family did.
Thanks so much, Deja Bru, of reminding of that flashback detail. I love what readers remember. I have boxes of photocopies, file drawers of info, and it all becomes a blur when you're totally immersed in it.