CLEVELAND, Ohio – I wrote a column about former Tribe pitcher Jim “Mudcat” Grant, who died in June of 2021. That led to this email from Gary Mast. This is part of it:
My column was about Grant being the first athlete I ever asked for an autograph. I believe it was in 1961, meaning I was about 6 years old. That means it was more than 60 years ago and I remember it clearly. I was at a Culver’s, my favorite fast food place. It was near closing time. A young woman named Madison took my order. I thanked her, mentioning her name.
He not only was in the tree to see better, but also to stay away from the people whom he believed hated him. One of the few autographs Terry Pluto has is this card signed by Jim Grant, who has a special place in his heart.I have a lot of friends who work in retail. They have their horror stories with customers. It’s more pronounced now because of the labor shortage. When you visit many stores and restaurants, check out the age of those working. Many are much closer to Medicare age than those who are new to the workforce.