Your Personal "Greatest Sports Moments"

[Litos]

About 6 years later I managed to shake Josh Beckett's hand at Reliant Stadium when I landed some field passes for Texans vs Patriots...he signed my shirt just after he took a picture with some hot chicks lol...funny thing is that I called him Mr Beckett - we were both 24 years old Hahahaha !!!!

Before I spotted Josh Beckett, I walked past Marcus Allen - he was sitting on one of those aluminum benches...

I froze, looked at him, extended my hand and said "nice to meet you Mr. Allen - welcome to Houston"...His hand appeared to have wrapped around my hand twice and he said "thank you"...

That's it...cool, but uneventful meeting with Marcus Allen haha !!!

 

[Litos]

Junior year, 1997...

My best friend was a girl in high school (that's another story)...

I grew up in a town called Alvin, Texas, which was known as "The Home of Nolan Ryan" for a long time when he grew up and lived there (he played little league there and was drafted out of Alvin High School)...

Aaaaaanyyyyways, my girl best friend's mom was his housekeeper (yes, she was Mexican lol)...

One day, we all went to Nolan's house when he wasn't there and played tennis on his tennis court...we also swam in his pool...

BUT, the greatest sports related thing that's ever happened to me was standing in front of Nolan Ryan's Glass Cases full of memorabilia...it was like having 10 Oakley cases stacked side by side...this custom case had studio lighting and everything...probably 25feet long and 7 or 8 feet high...

It was like I was standing in a mini Cooperstown...

He had bats, cleats, jerseys and balls signed by ALL OF THE GREATEST BASEBALLPLAYERS TO HAVE EVER LIVED...

Never in my life would I have thought I'd be within reaching distance of Ty Cobb's signed cleats, a game worn signed Babe Ruth jersey, etc etc etc...

That will be the single greatest sport memory I will ever have...funny thing is that I never met Nolan Ryan, even though he lived in our town for 30 plus years hahaha !!!

Bonus: here's a picture of 17 year old Litos playing tennis at Nolan Ryan's house (picture of a Polaroid picture taken by my girl best friend)

 

[cyclerdoug]

@Litos Wow! The Nolan Ryan thing is awesome! I would have paid to stand there and gape for 10 minutes!

And way to get around on Beckett!!

 

[cyclerdoug]

@Ventruck - been following Alberto closely for years now, that had to be pretty cool meeting him!

 

[Litos]

@Litos Wow! The Nolan Ryan thing is awesome! I would have paid to stand there and gape for 10 minutes!

And way to get around on Beckett!!

That pitch I hit felt like he threw me a boat anchor...

That's one of things you never forget because of who it was...

I felt it jam my hands all the way into my spinal cord hahaha !!!

 

[cyclerdoug]

That pitch I hit felt like he threw me a boat anchor...

That's one of things you never forget because of who it was...

I felt it jam my hands all the way into my spinal cord hahaha !!!

I bet, sounds like a "stinger" in golf but a lot worse! That's definitely a grandkids story bro.

 

[Patient_Cero]

Completing a marathon at 5000+ft under 5hrs with only two weeks of actual "running" training prior while living in a city of only 2000ft.

 

[cacatman]

Met Margaret Court and got her book signed. She is the first Australian woman to win a Grand Slam in the Open era, and currently holds the most single's titles (24) (even more than Serena Williams (23)!)

My own personal highlight would be would be winning my state U16 long jump competition with a distance of 6.5 m (21.3 ft). I later came 10th in the U17 Nationals.

 

[Orion]

Senior year, 1998...playing an out of district tournament...

Stepped up to the batter's box against a guy from Spring High School that threw 97mph...

We had heard about him all year because there was a really good chance he was going to drafted #1 overall...

He had previously ruined everyone on our team with nasty pitches, me included...

I hit 3rd in the lineup, so when I stepped in, I was 0-2 with 2 strikeouts...

This time, I beat him !!! I got jammed and grounded out to the second baseman...hands were on fire, but hey, he didn't make me take a seat this time...

TAKE THAT, JOSH BECKETT !!!!

Hey, a little late seeing this but really?!?! Josh Beckett!!!

That is a great story!

Shortly after he left I gave up my "fan-hat" for the Red Sox (not because he left) but because ownership, IMO, made the ass-hatery that goes on here, look like a spring day on Sunday at church.

 

[Orion]

Junior year, 1997...

My best friend was a girl in high school (that's another story)...

I grew up in a town called Alvin, Texas, which was known as "The Home of Nolan Ryan" for a long time when he grew up and lived there (he played little league there and was drafted out of Alvin High School)...

Aaaaaanyyyyways, my girl best friend's mom was his housekeeper (yes, she was Mexican lol)...

One day, we all went to Nolan's house when he wasn't there and played tennis on his tennis court...we also swam in his pool...

BUT, the greatest sports related thing that's ever happened to me was standing in front of Nolan Ryan's Glass Cases full of memorabilia...it was like having 10 Oakley cases stacked side by side...this custom case had studio lighting and everything...probably 25feet long and 7 or 8 feet high...

It was like I was standing in a mini Cooperstown...

He had bats, cleats, jerseys and balls signed by ALL OF THE GREATEST BASEBALLPLAYERS TO HAVE EVER LIVED...

Never in my life would I have thought I'd be within reaching distance of Ty Cobb's signed cleats, a game worn signed Babe Ruth jersey, etc etc etc...

That will be the single greatest sport memory I will ever have...funny thing is that I never met Nolan Ryan, even though he lived in our town for 30 plus years hahaha !!!

Bonus: here's a picture of 17 year old Litos playing tennis at Nolan Ryan's house (picture of a Polaroid picture taken by my girl best friend)



View attachment 341254

Great story with one of the all time greatest.