Prior to the 1985 season, Rod Carew was 71 hits from 3,000.  I decided that I was going to do everything it took to see Rod reach that milestone in person.  Once MLB released its schedule I got busy trying to figure out the most likely stretch of games where Carew would get number 3,000.  To do that I reviewed the four years leading up to the ’85 season.  Carew had 111 hits in 93 games during the strike-shortened 1981 season, collected 167 hits in 138 games in 1982, had 160 hits in 129 games in 1983 and 97 hits in 93 games in 1984, when he missed several games due to an injury.  Assuming Rod remained healthy, and that at age 39 his pace might decline a bit, I figured that he would probably play around 120-130 games and average just over one hit per game. 

Using that formula, I targeted an 11 game home stand for the Angels beginning July 4 and ending July 14. If not during that stretch, the milestone hit would most likely occur on the road. Well, Rod had a terrible start to the season.  He was hitting under .250 by late June and I had to re-figure my plans.  By the time July 4 rolled around he was still 25 hits from 3,000.  He would in all likelihood not reach the milestone during that eleven game stretch of home games.  That home stand was followed by a fourteen game road trip and it appeared that I would have to be ready to travel as the Angels wouldn’t return home until Friday, August 2 when they were to open a 3-game weekend series against the Twins.  I won’t say I was rooting against Rod during that stretch of 25 games, but I wasn’t sad when he had a game without a hit.  I followed the games closely and had to be ready to move quickly when he got within striking distance, which I had determined to be 3 or 4 hits.  Well, as the road trip to Boston, Milwaukee, Toronto and Oakland played out, Carew picked up the pace a bit from his slow start, but was still four hits away when the trip ended the Angels returned home.  It was late in that road trip that I decided to book my flight for the home series against Minnesota. 

A good friend of mine lived in Long Beach, California and I had arranged it to stay with him.  If Carew didn’t get the hit during those three games against Minnesota, the Seattle Mariners would be in Anaheim for 3 games, so I was staying through that series.  If he still didn’t have it after the games against Seattle, I would then fly home, because the Angels and Twins would have a 4-game series starting on Thursday, August 8 at the Metrodome.

Carew had three hits in five at bats in the last two games of the trip in Oakland and appeared to have his stroke back, so I was confident he would get number 3,000 against the Twins.  Rod had two hits in the Friday game and added a third in the Saturday game, both of which I attended.  In conversations with the Media Relations department of the Angels leading up to this series, I had requested a Press Pass for each of the games.  Due to high demand for credentials as number 3,000 approached, I had to choose one of the three days to receive the pass.  I went with Sunday, thinking he would either have it or be in position to get it on that day.  Well, it couldn’t have worked out more perfectly, as he needed just one hit on Sunday afternoon to accomplish that goal of 3,000 career hits.

It was a great day for baseball.  I got there very early and made my way down to the field with my Press pass in hand.  I hung out around the batting cage as players took their cuts in groups.  As I stood there watching, Tony Oliva, at the time a coach for the Twins, and a long time teammate and roommate of Carew, came and stood next to me.  I struck up a conversation with him that lasted 15 to 20 minutes as we watched Rod take his swings in the cage.  We talked about a lot of things, but primarily his days as Carew’s ‘roomie’.  It was an experience I will never forget.  Twins fans know very well how great an ambassador for the team and the sport of baseball Tony O is. 

In his first at bat against a young lefty, Frank Viola, whose best years were ahead of him, Carew rapped a ball right back to the mound and was retired easily.  His second at bat came in the bottom of the 3rd in a 1-1 game.  Brian Downing had walked just before Carew came to the plate.  A wild pitch sent Downing to second and Carew then delivered a soft line drive single into left field, advancing Downing to third base and attaining hit number 3,000.  So, I saw my baseball hero get his final four hits in his quest for 3,000.  After the game I headed to the locker room for the post-game press conference.  Each member of the media received a copy of the congratulatory telegram sent from Commissioner Peter Ueberroth.  After Carew finished his press conference I approached him and asked him to sign my game scorecard next to his name and he did.  The perfect ending to a perfect day.

As it turned out, the Angels played a game in Seattle on Monday, August 5 and then the players went on strike.  The strike only lasted two days, so when I returned to Minneapolis on Thursday, August 8, my wife picked me up at the airport and we headed to the Metrodome to watch the first game of the series between the Twins and the Angels.  Carew had two more hits in that game off of Bert Blyleven, but the Twins finally won (they had lost all 3 games in Anaheim) as Blyleven, a former teammate of Carew’s, won his tenth game of the year.  So, I also saw hits number 3,001 and 3,002.  Rod wound up with 3,053 career hits.  1985 was his final season of major league baseball.  I always hoped the Twins would bring him back for a year or two, but it was not to be. 

The story doesn’t end there, however.  In my position as Sports Director at what is now Leighton Broadcasting in Fergus Falls, I have acted as emcee at lots of events through the years.  Well, every January the Twins have a Winter Caravan that stops in Fergus Falls.  I was in charge of that event in January of 1986 when Frank Viola, the man who gave up hit number 3,000 to Carew, was one of the Twins on the program.  I shared my story and asked Frank if he would come up to the podium and sign my game program right below Rod’s signature.  He was very gracious and accommodated my request.  It is one of my favorite souvenirs! 

Baseball has been such a great part of my life for most of my 65 years on the planet and I have so many great memories and have had so many great opportunities to interact with players and broadcasters and front office personnel throughout the years.  Having those memories and being able to share some of them with you, and to be able to hear some of them from fans, has been good therapy during this Coronavirus shutdown, but, I miss the games.  I miss the consistency of following the Twins and MLB for six months.  It has been such a big part of my summers ever since I attended my first game in 1963, and although life goes on without baseball, it was a lot more enjoyable for me when baseball was a part of it.  Here’s hoping the players and owners come to some sort of an agreement that will allow us to once again enjoy watching the ‘Boys of Summer’ very soon.

I would like to invite each of you to share your favorite baseball memory with the visitors to my website.  Please send your story to me at cosports@prtel.com.