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PARKER: 'Kid from Colorado' humbled by Hall

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 4, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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National Baseball Hall-of-Famer and Colorado Springs native Goose Gossage peppered his speech with heaping helpings of the word "humbled" on Thursday during the Ninth Annual Gentlemen's Dinner Benefitting Men For the Cure Foundation at XJet World in Centennial.

The relief pitcher who spent most of his glory days in a Yankees uniform told the airplane hangar filled with 550 guys that he's still overwhelmed by the experience of being inducted into the Hall this year.

"The word I keep wearing out is amazing," he said. "I was born and raised in Colorado Springs, and I'm very proud to be from Colorado. I played Little League in Colorado Springs and was drafted out of high school. All I wanted was to put on a big league uniform one time. That one time turned into 22 years. I am totally humbled constantly by the things that baseball has afforded me."

Gossage, 57, played for nine teams during his MLB career. "When I first signed with the White Sox, I had never been out of Colorado. I had never been on an airplane. It was a series of out-of-body experiences. To go into the Hall as a Yankee, and to attend the last game that would be played in Yankees Stadium - to be part of that was amazing. Here's a kid from Colorado going into the Hall. It's been the most humbling thing."

PILL THRILL: Former Broncos bruiser Bill Romanowski wouldn't dish to the New York Daily News earlier this week when the newspaper reported that Republican presidential candidate John McCain was taking Romo's Neuro1 herbal supplement to keep his memory sharp and his energy levels up. But the former linebacker talked to me.

"John McCain is taking my Neuro1 to stay sharp," Romo told me Thursday. "He was really sharp for the debate (against Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama) last week. For anyone with that level of stress and that travel schedule (Neuro1) is really helpful."

It was also reported on celebtv.com that lean-looking pop star Britney Spears has been taking Romo's Lean1 weight-loss supplement to get in shape. To celebrate the company's new-found celebrity status, go to nutrition53.com for a free one-month supply of products. "We're calling it our Britney and McCain special," said Romo, who is in town this weekend for the 1998 Super- Bowl-winning Broncos reunion.

NOT SULLIED: I'm hearing there's some confusion after the news broke earlier this week that Jim Sullivan closed his restaurants Ocean in Cherry Creek, and nine75 at 975 Lincoln. Apparently, some diners mis-thought that Sullivan's Steakhouse in LoDo had closed. Not so. Sullivan's Steakhouse is owned by Del Frisco's Restaurant Group with no affiliation with Sullivan, the former real estate developer.

ROCK ON: Denver's alternative rockers Flobots are scheduled to perform Oct. 13 on Late Night With Conan O'Brien on 9News. The band, from DPS high schools East, North, Manual, George Washington and Denver Schools of the Arts, appeared earlier this year on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno and Last Call With Carson Daly.

EAVESDROPPING on a man standing inside XJet World while others smoked cigars outside during Men for the Cure: "I'm surprised they can land planes out there with the cloud hanging over the runway."

Comments

  • October 7, 2008

    11:46 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    McGowdog writes:

    The Goose was robbed for having to wait 7 or 8 years. He deserved to get in way back. Humbled my @$$. He should be upset.

    Had they inducted him earlier, maybe his parents would have been alive to see it.

    Too little too late.