Stuck in Toledo. That’s how I always felt in the late 70’s when I was umpiring in the international league. The stadium was awful, and the fans, well let’s just say they weren’t the nicest. Who would have thought that I would be stuck in Toledo again in 2011…not me. However, my work brought me to Toledo (again), and the weather made me stay a little longer than I had wanted to.
My journey to Toledo started back last summer. I received a call from Sheri, who represented the Toledo Area Human Resource Association. The association wanted me to bring my program to their conference. After working out the details, my journey to Toledo was set. With that, the University of Toledo took advantage of my being in their area (thanks Sue and Kelly), and brought me in to speak to the coaches, administrators and student athletes. To say that it was a great experience is an understatement. I arrived on Monday, so that I could just get there on time. With the snow storms cutting across our region, if I didn’t leave three days early, I would not have made it to Toledo…period. Kelly picked me up at the Detroit airport, and brought me to my hotel in Toledo. I hibernated in my room for the next three days, only venturing out once (Thursday afternoon) to take a walk around downtown. The city has changed since my last visit, boasting a beautiful downtown minor league ballpark. It is mirrored after Camden Yards in Baltimore. I took some pictures of the park, and if I was a little bit more tech savvy, I would share them with you.
My day at UT started off with a roundtable for coaches and administrators. A lively conversation with great dialogue. When we were finished, I experienced something that to me spoke volumes of how the athletic department is run. Mike O’Brien (athletic director) took the time to thank me, not only for coming to his campus, but for coming to Toledo as early as I did so not to miss my event. For him to acknowledge the fact that it took some effort to get there was extremely appreciated. For that, I will always be grateful. The evening was, for me, a great success. The event, although mandatory for the athletes, was well attended. The athletes were respectful, and very attentive. When you’re speaking to young men and women on the subject of sexual orientation, sometimes you never know if they will not only pay attention, but respect you as a speaker. I am very happy to say both happened that evening, and a long day ended on a very high note.
Six a.m. came early. I had to be up and ready to be picked up for my presentation for the Toledo Area Human Resource Association, which was to be at 8 a.m. To be honest, it was one of the most entertaining and enlightening conferences I have attended. The people were warm, and the organizers so gracious, that it was a pleasure to be a part of the event. While eating lunch after the conference, I thought back to that initial phone call from Sheri. Stuck in Toledo. The first experience was not so great, but the second one was one to remember!
Thanks for reading and remember,
Never Strike Out
Peace
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