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Santa was pretty good. But the REAL RFGA icon was a guy named "The Top Cat". Older black man, whose real name I don't think I ever knew.
In those days right before the first pitch the RFGA would chant the names of the outfield (AC,AC,,AC then AO, AO, AO and WILLIE, WIIIIILLLLIE) until they acknowledged the crowd.
The Top Cat was always getting freebies from the players. One night he got AO's cap and spikes. I talked to Willie Wilson about TTC when I went to spring training a few seasons back. He laughed and we traded stories and then he told me the Top Cat had passed away.
RFGA had the best beer men also. Clem and Darcy. Both guys worked day jobs at Standard Oil back then and hustled "COLD BEER" (PBR in glass bottles) for 2$ at night and on weekends. They would let us in the beer locker on really hot days before the game.
Its kind of scary to talk about these guys because I was teen when I met them. Them leaving the earth kind of makes me think of my own mortality.
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