"Whatever you say, Kirby!"

It's a sad day in baseball today. Kirby Puckett died at age 45.

I like Kirby, his time in baseball coincided with my long summer days at Wrigley Field. My favorite memory of Kirby Puckett actually doesn't even have anything to do with Kirby Puckett.

I was 17 years old, in college and a HUGE Cubs fan. My roommates and I decided it would be fun to spend the night at Wrigley Field for Cubs tickets. In February. On the street. We left our dorm around 3pm and by 4:30 we were situated in the player's parking lot in the 20 degree weather along with hundreds of disgusting, smelly, foul men. We were organized into self-policing "squads". This meant, if anyone from your squad screwed up (got drunk, cut in line or otherwise caused trouble) your whole squad went to the back of the line. Ooo-ee!

They had us line up platoon style in our squads and these rules were shouted at us by a heavy set black man with a small goatee and a dark navy blue jacket on with matching baseball cap. All of us big time baseball fans were all giggling inside as he gave us our orders until finally some wise guy piped up from the back of the squad,

"WHATEVER YOU SAY, KIRBY!"

We all broke out into hysterical laughter - we all thought the same thing.. This dude looked exactly like Kirby Puckett. Kirby broke his drill sergeant face and had to laugh himself. It was a wonderful moment of synergy among baseball fans. Something only the freakishly obsessed would find so funny.

It's hard to imagine one of our not-so-old baseball heroes passing. This is the second sport hero from my childhood to pass away at a young age. The first being the great Walter Payton - the first sports hero of my memory (second was Muhammed Ali).

Rest in peace, Kirby!