Merritt Riley

Once that player that's at home plate hits the ball, whether it's a base hit or an out, your main and only responsibility is to get that bat and get it right back to the dugout.

During the game, the Yankees were very, very strict about not being part of the game.

You know, being invisible, really.

It was a Sunday afternoon in July, and back then the Yanks in Kansas City, they saw each other all out in the playoffs, and it was a packed house.

You know, it was hot, it was a loud, you know, boisterous crowd.

For whatever reason, George Brett took a liking to me.

Even though he was a superstar, he was like a regular guy.

He'd clown around with everybody in the clubhouse.

He'd always be breaking my traps about one thing or another.

You know, kidding around, not mean.

He had a nickname for me, and it was Spalding from Caddyshack.

You know what?

It wasn't like I liked the nickname.

I just liked that he noticed me enough to have a nickname for me.

You know, he made you feel important.

That made me like him, you know?

He definitely became my favorite.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, George Brett was one of those guys that I would secretly root for.

As long as the Yankees would win the game, I was rooting for George Brett to do well.