While researching for a blog I am writing, I just discovered that Deacon Jones passed away at age 89 on May 7th.
He was a coach for the Astros when I lived at the team motel as a boy. He was a very nice man who was a big reason that I became a baseball and Astros fan.
Do tell…
Right?
I am pretty sure I have posted this before. I think there’s a thread.
That said, I love talking about myself.
When I was 8, my house burned down.
For the next few years, my family moved several times, all short term living options.
In the spring of 1980 we were living in the Best Western Cocoa Inn where my mom worked. It was also the Astros spring training motel.
That spring I fell in love with baseball by spending all my spare time with the players and their families.
My sister and I played with their children and were invited to eat dinner with them. I remember my sister and Natalie Niekro became fast friends.
Joe Sambito, Joe Niekro, J.R. Richard, and Julio Gonzalez are some of the players I remember who took time for us.
Deacon Jones asked my mom to introduce me to him and J.R. Richard sitting by a pool one day and we talked baseball for a while. She told me he hoped to help me learn and love the game.
He later gave me tickets to a game for my birthday and I was hooked.
RIP Deacon, but just to clarify, he passed away in 2023, not a few weeks ago.
Or 2013, depending on who you’re talking about
Wow do I feel dumb.
I simply can’t read numbers.
Sorry for any trouble.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, 65
Rep. Gerry Connolly.
The sixth Democrat to die in office in just over a year. No conspiracy theory here, just a frustration that there aren’t term limits.
Godspeed, George. Cheers (NORM!!!), Dreamscape, Gung Ho, and more. Rest in peace.
Charles Rangel - long time congressman from NY.
I wonder why he didn’t try to get reelected last cycle.
He seemed like a respectable guy, whether you agreed with him or not.
Those types of politicians are becoming few and far between.
Oh, I agreed with him.
Former local Houston TV anchor José Griñán, 72
Rick Derringer, 77
Hang on Sloopy is a fucking classic
eta: I had no idea about all this (via wiki)
In 1973, Derringer found further success with his song “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”. He also worked extensively with brothers Edgar and Johnny Winter, playing lead and rhythm guitar in their bands and producing all of their gold and platinum records, including Edgar Winter’s hits “Frankenstein” and “Free Ride” (both in 1973). Derringer also collaborated with Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, and “Weird Al” Yankovic, producing Yankovic’s Grammy Award-winning songs “Eat It” (1984) and “Fat” (1988).
My first concert was Johnny Winter around 1970 at the
San Antonio Municipal Auditorium. Rick Derringer was with him on the tour. The album, Johnny Winter And, had just been released. I had no idea of how great these guys were/would be…no idea of what I was witnessing.
I saw him play a few times, but he only played this once. My favorite Rick D tune.
