Forty-nine years ago this past Saturday, Hank Aaron hit career home run 715 in breaking the long-standing record of Babe Ruth. Our guest this week, Dennis Hafeli, was there! He's got the ticket stub to prove it! Actually, he had a couple dozen stubs because fans just gave them to him when he asked. He also was on the field during batting practice, having crafted a phony press pass with the help of a 3x5 card, a marker, and his camera. This might be the highlight from this Conversation, but it's far from the only tale Hafeli shares.
Host Doug Hill's 11th grade high school English teacher, Hafeli had story upon story:
- Detroit Lions' 1957 World Championship Game at Detroit's Briggs Stadium? Hafeli was there.
- Detroit Tigers 1968 World Series Game 5 (aka the one that began the comeback)? Hafeli was there.
- Detroit Tigers 1984 World Series Game 5 (the clincher)? Hafeli was there.
- Hanging in the wives room following the 1984 World Series? Hafeli was there.
- Knew Jim Beckett back when he first started producing his eponymous baseball card grading publication? Hafeli did.
- Playing as entertainment during the 1980 Detroit Lions' training camp (including a cameo by Jimmy "Spiderman" Allen on vocals and Coach Monte Clark on guitar)? Hafeli and his band were there.
- Happening to be in the Northborough, MA, area so you stop in at Mark "The Bird" Fidrych's place to see if he's home? Hafeli was there, visits for a half hour, and then barters for some autographs.
- Attending the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Weekend for 25 consecutive years with friend and a longtime coworker at Lakeview High School, Tom Tuschak? Yep, Hafeli was there.
When we say the recollection of his life as sports fan are must-listen-to we are not kidding. (And we're not just saying this to pass his class all these years later;-)
Also, if you're interested in seeing Hafeli's band, The Spring Street Boys, perform. They'll be in the St. Clair Shores Downtown Social District during the early evening of May 13.
