the death of "Wild Bill" Hagy

William "Wild Bill" Hagy died yesterday. Hagy was a small but memorable part of my childhood and young adult life-- as the cab driver turned cheerleader at Baltimore Orioles games in the 1970s and 80s. He was a fixture there-- and in the middle of the game, usually from the upper deck's Section 34, he would spell out ORIOLES with his body while the crowd shouted out the letters.

I was a season ticket holder of sorts in the early and mid-1980s (with a "13-game plan" of tickets). I saw about 100 games in the old Memorial Stadium, including a playoff and a World Series game in 1983. It was a great date night (plenty of time to talk in transit and at the game) and I went up there a lot with my old best friend-- a fantasy baseball guru, Trace Wood.

I've seen two games at Camden Yards, a wonderful park. (One of those concluded with a grand slam by Chris Hoiles [as he became the last starter to get a hit that evening]-- off of Norm Charlton on a 3-2 pitch with two outs to win 14-13!! Check out the box score on that phenomenal game!) But it's Memorial Stadium that holds most of my baseball memories...

Anyway, I hope that Wild Bill found his Section 34 in Heaven...