Turns out Dodgers Joe Torre has friends in high places
Some guys get ties for their birthday. Joe Torre, in case you had any remaining doubt, is not just some guy.
Torre is a huge fan of the U.S. space program and has made friends in NASA. Sometimes connections really do pay off.
Torre’s assistant, Chris Romanello, got a little creative in the birthday gift department when Torre turned 70 on Sunday.
One of Torre’s favorite movies is "Apollo 13," the 1995 Ron Howard film about the troubled space flight to the moon commanded by Jim Lovell.
Gene Kranz was the crew-cut flight director who spearheaded the ground effort in Houston to bring the flight crew safely back home. Last year he wrote a book about the experience and the space program.
Which led to the interesting gift.
"Chris got me a book, "Failure Is Not an Option," Torre said. "Gene Kranz had signed it and wrote a nice note.
"And there was a DVD, and he got Gene Kranz to wish me a happy birthday, and Jim Lovell. That’s the most unique."
Romanello said the DVD was actually filmed for Torre in Houston by NASA members. He said Lovell lives in Illinois but was in Houston for an annual physical and able to contribute to the special video.
"That," said Torre, "was pretty cool."
-- Steve Dilbeck
Torre is a huge fan of the U.S. space program and has made friends in NASA. Sometimes connections really do pay off.
Torre’s assistant, Chris Romanello, got a little creative in the birthday gift department when Torre turned 70 on Sunday.
One of Torre’s favorite movies is "Apollo 13," the 1995 Ron Howard film about the troubled space flight to the moon commanded by Jim Lovell.
Gene Kranz was the crew-cut flight director who spearheaded the ground effort in Houston to bring the flight crew safely back home. Last year he wrote a book about the experience and the space program.
Which led to the interesting gift.
"Chris got me a book, "Failure Is Not an Option," Torre said. "Gene Kranz had signed it and wrote a nice note.
"And there was a DVD, and he got Gene Kranz to wish me a happy birthday, and Jim Lovell. That’s the most unique."
Romanello said the DVD was actually filmed for Torre in Houston by NASA members. He said Lovell lives in Illinois but was in Houston for an annual physical and able to contribute to the special video.
"That," said Torre, "was pretty cool."
-- Steve Dilbeck
Steve, I do appreciate your musings about the Dodgers - a wonderful team with corrupt politician-like ownership.
How can one own a big market sports team that draws 3 million fans, watch them play in the NLCS from front row seats, observe the obvious reality that we are two pitchers short of being a legitimate championship team, and instead of taking the last step towards supremacy, you let Randy Wolf sign somewhere else and don't add a single pitcher?
The Minnesota Twins have a higher payroll than the Dodgers. Huh? I say McCourt could most likey afford Cliff lee, Roy Oswald, and Jaimie McCourt. Where is all of the money!!
Posted by: jackson | 07/20/2010 at 02:43 PM
My birthday present to Joe was a personally signed definition of a "save" by Jonathon Broxton.
Posted by: jackson | 07/20/2010 at 03:19 PM
L.A. fans might buy Torre a ticket as a Space Tourist before his tenure with the Dodgers is over.
Posted by: These Dodgers Suck! | 07/20/2010 at 04:45 PM