The least I could have done when the good folks over at Magee Rehab invited me over to meet Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg — who was the reason I became a Cubs fan in the first place — was remind myself not to have some goofy smile on my face when they took the photo Friday morning.
Dag.
On the plus side, Ryne was kind enough to sign both a Cubs and Phillies hat for me. Which was really damn nice of him. (Side note: Ryne signed the Cubs hat that Mike Murphy had the team send when I was laid up in Magee. It’s hereby retired and, as I told the Sandbergs, the Phillies are 1 and the Cubs 1a now).
As I sat back and watched him interact with patients in similar situations to mine when I was there in late ’08/early ’09, it struck me just how genuinely nice of a guy he was. And his wife Margaret was really, really cool as well. They talked to Magee patients for a while, remembering their names when they passed in the hallways afterwards. (Tidbit Learned: He writes out the likely lineup for that night’s game upon waking up, but has been known to tinker with it throughout the day).
What great people. I hope they’re in town for a good long while. Can’t thank Magee enough — Ron Siggs and Mark Chilutti specifically — for remembering how I’d mentioned I was a big Ryne fan years ago.
Knowing what I know about how fellow patients felt when Charlie Manuel and Pat Croce came through during my stay, it was a remarkably awesome thing I witnessed this morning.
Cubs and Phils.